On the Beach, On the Reef

'Paradise Lost' - An Hawaiian Beach    (NOAA photo)

Some go scuba diving in order to escape today’s plastic society, only to find more plastic down below.

The Atlantic reports that Indo-Pacific coral reefs have been invaded by such things as “chip wrappers… garbage bags, water bottles, old nappies.”  (If you’re not sure what “old nappies” are, rest assured that ignorance is

bliss.)

This doesn’t only besmirch the beauty of these reefs, it also destroys their health.  Cornell University scientists found that “infections strike down 89 percent of corals that come into contact with plastic.”

Figure it this way:  If it's on the beach, it's on the reef.  That age-old truth manifests once again:  As above, so below.

Resources 

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/plastic-junk-coral-disease/551495

Copyright January 27, 2018 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved