Title: Are you unknowingly killing corals?
By: Katelyn Adley
Transcript:
Could it be that protecting ourselves and our health can actually have a huge negative impact on the health of others? It is our natural habit as humans to protect ourselves, and one way we do this is by the application of sunscreen while exposed to the sun. However the issue becomes that sunscreen can actually have a huge negative effect on corals in locations such as Jamaica. I'm Katelyn and I will be talking to you about human activities such as the application of sunscreen and swimming in coastal waters can cause degradation to the coral reefs in areas such as Jamaica. Have you ever heard of coral bleaching? Well, basically what happens is when the corals get stressed out they release a symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae. This symbolic algae provides the color and essentially the lives to the coral. Therefore, when it's released the coral turns white and dies. At this point, the corals are no longer able to sustain the fish populations. And therefore, coral bleaching has a huge negative impact on fish populations and ecosystems surrounding it. In some of the common sunscreens that we use to protect ourselves, there can be over twenty different chemical compounds. And it has been determined that at least four of these specific compounds can cause severe bleaching to the coral reefs. Are you wondering how the sunscreen can cause the coral bleaching? Well, the UV filters in the sunscreen can cause a latent viral infection in corals causing the symbolic zooxanthellae to be expelled. Not only does the sunscreen have an effect on the corals, but the sunscreen compounds can also dissolve in fat; which means that they can accumulate in the tissue of fish. This could have a serious effect directly on the fish but also can potentially be harmful to humans since it could accumulate in the fish that we are consuming. Still wondering why you're listening and why you should care? Well it's estimated that about 25% of the sunscreen that we apply to ourselves can wash off while swimming, and multiply that by everyone on the beach. That's a lot of sunscreen chemicals entering the water and being harmful to the corals! If the corals are being depleted and bleached because of the sunscreen, it has an overall effect on ecosystem. The fish need corals in order to survive and thrive, and the corals need the fish in order to be cleaned and survive. In locations such as Jamaica, there has already been a huge decline in coral reefs and fish populations due to human activity; such as overfishing. However, if the corals are further depleted due to sunscreen compounds, Jamaica and other tourist locations could experience an even further reduction in corals and fish populations. So, want to know how you can help? Well, one simple step is by purchasing sunscreen that is reef safe. This sunscreen can be a bit more difficult to find. However, with a simple Google search, there are many online sites that are available to order it. Brands such as Tropical Seas, Caribbean Solutions, and UV Natural have a great reputation of being reef safe. Hopefully, next time you go on a tropical vacation you will stop to consider the harmful effect that sunscreen can have on the beautiful coral reefs that we all love to admire. Next time, choose a reef safe sunscreen instead. And enjoy your vacation.