we must remember everything our planet provides for us, and make essential changes to protect it in return. While we may not see the immediate impacts of our minor cuts to the health of the environment, slowly, a tear becomes a hole, and the cloth begins to rip, destroying it. In the past thirty years, 50% of the world’s coral reefs have died, and by the year 2050, 90% of the reefs could be dead if nothing is done to prevent this near extinction. Coral reefs are one of the most critical systems on Earth and directly support human life; they produce large amounts of oxygen and provide safe habitats for the ocean’s marine life. Fortunately, there are quick and easy ways you can help protect the oceans in your everyday life! If everyone does their part, there is still hope for coral reefs. Here’s how you can pitch in:

1. Be Mindful of Your Water Runoff

You may not realize that simply watering your lawn or cleaning your frying pan in the sink can threaten marine life. Water runoff eventually returns to the ocean, taking all the fertilizers, sediment, pesticides, toxins, and pathogens with it. Many of the pollutants that go down our drains are toxic to aquatic life and can infect and kill them. By making sure you contaminate your water as little as possible, toxic runoff entering the ocean can be minimized. A simple change you can make today is to check if your fertilizer is organic, but it’s best to minimize fertilizer overall, as runoff from fertilizer can increase nutrient levels in the water which leads to large-scale harmful algal blooms. The same thing goes for your leftover food scraps! Instead of sending food scraps down the drain, try composting. You can even compost your yard waste with your food waste and make your own organic fertilizer for your yard.

2. Plant a Native Yard

Since we’re talking about runoff from your yard, let’s take it a step further and solve a root problem for runoff: non-native grass lawns. Grass lawns require A LOT of water and fertilizer to keep looking healthy and lush, because they are not meant to thrive in most of the US. By replacing your grass lawn with a ground cover native to your region, maintaining your lawn will require less watering, less fertilizer, and fewer pesticides. Plus there are a ton of other benefits to having native landscaping (such as reducing air pollution, skipping that tedious mowing chore, and providing food to local wildlife), so keep in mind that native landscaping is good for life on land and in the seas.

3. Check your Sunscreen

Many sunscreens contain chemicals that are highly toxic to corals. These chemicals can quickly kill juvenile corals, lead to skeletal deformations, and increase susceptibility to bleaching. Oxybenzone and octinoxate, common sunscreen ingredients, dissolve into a chemical called benzophenone. Benzophenone causes deformities in baby coral structures and can kill them. Additionally, Oxybenzone’s UV-blocking agents damage coral cells. This leads to the bleaching of the coral. Check your sunscreens for these harmful ingredients and switch out for a reef-safe formula. Heads up: sunscreens labeled “Reef friendly” rather than “Reef Safe” are not regulated and may still harm the reefs. It’s best to use a natural, zinc-based sunscreen. Below is a list of reef-safe brands:

Stream2Sea (ORAI’s favorite!)
Goddess Garden
All Good
Blue Lizard
Reef Repair

4. Fish Responsibly

While an enjoyable pastime and a craft valued by many, fishing can cause irreversible damage to marine ecosystems if practiced incorrectly. Overfishing can cause extinction of important species in an ecosystem. If too many of one species are removed from an environment, it can create an imbalance in the entire ecosystem and cause irreversible damage to other species. To practice responsible fishing, make sure to abide by local fishing regulations and take all precautions necessary when out on the water. Respect marine sensitive areas and do not fish on top of reefs; fishing hooks and lines can damage coral, and debris from boats can contaminate the water. When the correct precautions are taken, recreational fishing can be a safe, eco-conscious hobby!

5. Recycle

You've heard this plenty of times, and maybe recycling seems like a given. But it’s vital to remember that disposing of your trash correctly can curtail one of the biggest killers of coral. It is estimated that 5.25 trillion pieces of trash are in the ocean, only taking into account what’s on the surface. Four billion microplastics now dwell next to the coral reefs of the sea. Plastics carry pathogens that are poisonous to coral reefs. Other trash and debris can wound coral and block sunlight, making it impossible for coral to get necessary nutrients from algal photosynthesis in coral tissue. Trash suffocates our reefs, and it’s one of the leading factors in their destruction. If you simply dispose of all plastics and trash properly, there is a much higher chance that your garbage will not lead to the death of a coral reef. By sorting your recyclables (rigid plastic, aluminum cans, paper), non-recyclables (leftover food, sanitary materials), and hazardous waste (batteries and electronics), you do your part by sending garbage where it belongs, far away from the ocean.

6. Leave It How You Found It

The ocean is like an entire world in itself. The complex coral cities and stunning sea life make reefs feel like a different planet you want to discover. The ocean is there for us to explore, but please remember – don’t touch! Corals are very fragile animals, and merely touching one could kill them. To leave a coral undisturbed is to leave a coral healthy. Do not take anything native from a reef, as this will disturb the fragile ecosystem. And that goes for those on the surface, as well. Boating over a reef causes a disturbance of seafloor sediment, which is very dangerous for the health of a coral. The bottom of a boat or anchor can also scratch and break the coral if it gets too close. Keep your distance from reefs above the water, and while under the water, remember that admiring the coral doesn’t require physical contact. Don’t touch!

7. Speak Up

Perhaps the best thing we can do to help our reefs is to raise awareness about their needs, and all they do for the ocean and larger environment. Too many do not understand the scope of the damage done to coral reefs in the past twenty years, and what will happen in the next twenty years if we don’t stop this destruction. By speaking up, you’re not only bringing attention to this cause, but you can also gather support. Real change is brought about by the voices of many speaking on behalf of one mission. Use your voice to mobilize support for the reefs and to help conservation projects and policies succeed. You can foster support in your own community through educating others, organizing events, posting on social media, and starting fundraisers.

8. Get involved

A hands-on way to help the reefs is to get involved in their restoration. ORAI hosts beach clean-ups, reef clean-ups, dive opportunities, and various other ways to donate your time to support coral reefs. Follow ORAI through our newsletter and on social media to get updates about opportunities to help. You can even enshrine your dedication to the coral reefs on the seafloor for generations to come by adopting your very own artificial reef HERE. These modules provide a habitat for native fish and help further ORAI’s research. There is power in numbers; we must all contribute to the conservation and restoration of the coral reefs to keep the world’s most incredible resource alive.

9. Support Those Who Support the Reefs

And the quickest, easiest way to help is to support those working to save the coral reefs. This could be through donating to marine conservation organizations like The Ocean Rescue Alliance (ORAI) or choosing to shop with businesses that donate a portion of their profit to restoring the sea. These donations help fund conservation projects and environmental restoration research. By helping the experts help the reefs, you are making more of an impact than you may believe. Some brands that donate portions of their profits to saving the reefs include 4Ocean, Sand Cloud, and Patagonia.