Poor Unfortunate Coral

As beach season officially begins, it is important to remember the fragile state of the ocean and try not to take the beach going experience for granted. It’s harder for us Americans to comprehend the most obvious affects of global warming such as the melting of glaciers and the starvation of animals of the Tundra. An article published on May 22nd in the NYT, brought the effects of global warming a little closer to home. The focus of the article is that of the coral reefs of the Florida Keys and the Virgin Islands. Right now there is an epidemic of coral bleaching and other coral illnesses caused by the rising temperature of the ocean. The unfortunate result is that many once abundant species of coral are now finding their way onto the extinction list for the 1st time ever.

Thankfully, there are some organizations who are trying to recapture our focus on the ocean-life and its water. The popular company clothing Patagonia, for instance, has teamed up with Oceana, a non-profit that is dedicated to protecting & restoring the world’s oceans in a new campaign called “Oceans As Wilderness”.