Coral reefs have been dying worldwide because of climate change and the subsequent warming of the oceans. As the ocean temperature rises and water gets warmer, corals expel the algae (zooxanthellae) out of their living tissue, which renders them a white color. This process is known as “coral bleaching.” Due to this coral bleaching, the corals lose their means to make food for themselves, making the coral more susceptible to death.
We must start taking the steps towards saving the coral reefs as more than one-fourth of the ocean’s organisms depend upon these coral reefs for shelter and food. They are essential to the ocean diversity up to such an extent that they are called the ocean’s rainforest.
Following are the six ways we can do to save the coral reefs from dying:
Advocating and supporting a renewable and conservation-based lifestyle.
Adopting this kind of lifestyle can help lessen the overall pollution, which will allow a drop in ocean temperature.
Consuming food that is grown organically without fertilisers:
Using fertilizers in our food leads to water runoff from the fields to water bodies which then join the oceans leading to its pollution. This can harm the coral reefs and other sea creatures.
Use environmental- friendly modes of transportation.
This is pretty clear as we all know that riding a bicycle or taking a walk is better for the environment than driving a car. This is because while we drive a car, we produce a ton of greenhouse gases that leads to global warming, which is responsible for the rise in ocean temperature.
Take some time to plant trees
Planting trees helps reduce carbon dioxide, which is a significant greenhouse gas. This will eventually help reduce pollution.
Reduce your Carbon footprint
Reducing your household’s carbon footprint can be an advantageous way to reduce pollution and control global warming. Here is a link which you can use to check your carbon footprint:
https://www.carbonfootprint.com/measure.html
Educating the public about the importance of coral reefs to our ecosystem.
The general public needs to understand why it is essential to save the coral reefs. By gaining public support, researchers and scientists can take steps towards conserving the reefs, thereby saving them from dying.