10 Things You Can Do to Help Save Hawaii’s Coral Reefs

In addition to supporting rich, diverse ecosystems that are home to about a fourth of all identified marine life and act as a protective barrier to coastlines, coral reefs are invaluable from a medical standpoint. Known as the medicine chests of the sea, coral reefs are home to many marine creatures that produce compounds used for human applications, including the treatment of leukemia.

To sum it up, coral reefs are invaluable. They support numerous industries ranging from medicine to tourism and provide us with most of the air we breathe, no matter where we are! We have an obligation to make sure that the beauty and resources that coral reefs provide are available for future generations.

According to the article, that concentration is 12 times higher than what is needed to harm coral!

Of course, skincare is important, especially with the knowledge we have regarding skin cancer. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and that saying is applicable to both protecting your skin and Hawaii’s reefs. When choosing your sunscreen, it’s important to make sure that it is “reef safe.” You can do this by checking the active ingredients list for titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as the active ingredients. One of our favorite reef safe sunscreens is Hawaiian Sol, which is not only organic but also made locally.

Additionally, by wearing long-sleeved clothing or clothing that covers more of your skin, you lessen the amount of sunscreen that you need to use. There is also clothing that offers UV protection that ranges between 45+ and 100+ SPF. Retailers like Target and Costco often have these items for sale during the summer.

As awareness about harmful chemicals in sunscreen spreads, there have been multiple bills introduced to help solve the issue at hand. Nathan Eagle of CivilBeat.org wrote an informative article titled, “Efforts Underway To Rid Hawaii of Coral-Damaging Sunscreen,” which touches upon two of them: SB210 and SB260.

If you want to help but don’t know how, we recommend contacting local Representatives* and members of the Senate** to let them know how important it is to make sure that Hawaii’s coral remains healthy for future generations, not just for aesthetics but because coral and marine creatures make important contributions to science and help keep us alive! We have listed the active bills pertaining to sunscreen and products containing oxybenzone below:

• HB600 Bans the sale, offer for sale, or distribution for sale of sunscreen or personal care products containing oxybenzone. Effective July 1, 2018, HB818 Requires advertisements or displays for sunscreens containing oxybenzone in the state to include a conspicuously displayed statement that the use of oxybenzone in nearshore waters poses serious hazards to coral and reef health.
• HB819 Prohibits the sale, offering for sale, or distribution of any sunscreen containing oxybenzone in the State unless the sunscreen label contains a warning that the use of oxybenzone in nearshore waters poses serious hazards to coral and reef health.
• SB210 Prohibits the use or application of sunscreen or sunblock containing oxybenzone or cosmetics with sunscreen containing oxybenzone while on a beach.
• SB260 Bans knowingly selling in the state personal care products containing oxybenzone or octinoxate, except for medically-licensed prescriptions. Takes effect on 10/1/2017.

Referring down to Entry #6: Encourage Politicians to Act, we also encourage you to support petitions, like this one, which ask to ban the sale of coral-damaging sunscreen in Hawaii. Every action you take makes a difference, whether it is donating your time or money to organizations, signing petitions, or contacting members of the government. As the saying goes, “even a ripple might become a wave,” and we can use that momentum for the greater good.

Fisherman can save parrotfish by being pono (moral) fishers and, as an extension of that, follow laws that are in place to prevent overfishing. Too often, overzealous spearfishers go after parrotfish because they are easy to catch at night while they are asleep.

The rest of us can do our part by not harassing marine life while diving, snorkeling, or swimming, and by making an effort to find out whether the fish we buy for meals was responsibly sourced. Simply by asking restaurants and grocery stores whether they offer sustainable seafood, we can create a demand for seafood that was farmed or caught responsibly. If you are interested in learning more about which seafood you can enjoy guilt-free, we recommend checking out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch.

Hopefully, one day, there will be no need for the distinction between an environmentally friendly business and one that is not, as being environmentally friendly becomes the standard.

To find environmentally friendly and reef safe businesses check out these resources:

• Sustainable Tourism Association of Hawaiʻi’s certified tour operators list
• Coral.org’s list of hotels participating in the reef stewardship project

Such businesses include:

• The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is a volunteer based non-profit whose vision is to have clean coastal waters and an abundance of native fish on healthy coral reefs. MNMRC’s “Maui Coral Reef Recovery Plan” guides their daily efforts to improve water quality and reduce the decline of coral reef health. To volunteer, participate, or support their efforts, please visit: [email protected].
• The Maui Nui Marine Resource Council supports Polanui Hiu as a fiscal sponsor. What is Polanui Hiu? Polanui Hiu is a group comprised of members of the local community who are concerned about the decline in marine resources and are working toward restoring resources and traditions that were practiced in the past.
• The Oceanwide Science Institute, a non-profit based on the island of Maui, is a group of academics and professionals with expertise in the study of sound in the marine environment. They help communities locally and globally understand marine ecosystems through unbiased science and education. When you donate to OSI, 100% of your donation goes towards research.
• A 4-star rated charity (as rated by Charity Navigator), the Coral Reef Alliance leads holistic conservation programs and works with people from all around the world. Donations to this charity can be made in honor or memory of a loved one.
• University of Hawaii’s Coral Reef Ecology Lab is overseen by one of our favorite researchers, Ku’ulei Rodgers, Ph.D, which she has been a part of since 1993.
• Maui Cultural Lands is a grass-roots non-profit founded on the principles of traditional Hawaiian values and dedicated to the conservation of Hawaiian cultural resources through the reforestation of native flora to Honokowai Valley and the Kaanapali area. They are also dedicated to the archeological stabilization of Honokowai Valley and provide educational opportunities for the Hawaiian community and general public.

With the advent of social media it has become increasingly easy to keep our fingers on the pulse of what is going on in the world and, in becoming more connected, we are able to do more to help.

Currently, there is an online petition on Change.org started by Marine Scientist, Dr. Mark Deakos, who is a part of the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council and the Executive Director of Hawaii Association for Marine Education and Research, to put a moratorium on seawalls being built along the Olowalu coastline in order to prevent the destruction of beaches, coral reefs, and coastal habitats for vulnerable marine species.

There are two watersheds on Maui: the West Maui Mountains Watershed and the East Maui Mountains Watershed. The West Maui Mountains Watershed offers both volunteer opportunities and accepts donations and the East Maui Watershed has different options for donations that assist them with costs related to upkeep. In terms of value, watersheds are priceless, so the time and money spent on their upkeep are more than well worth it.

If you’re looking to be a part of a larger movement, the Maui Nui Marine Resource Council is always looking for volunteers for projects, like beach cleanings or assisting in assessing water quality.

Another great way to volunteer your time is with Maui Cultural Lands in helping them preserve Maui’s land trusts, such as the Honokowai Valley. Their primary goal is to reforest parts of Maui with native and endemic Hawaiian plant species. What’s done on the land and around the water of the valleys directly influences what runs into the ocean and subsequently into the reefs.

“Think of the true cost of everything you buy, the cost to the environment. How was it made, how far away did it come from? Buy local foods that aren’t associated with the carbon travel costs. Eat lower on the food chain. It takes 10X more energy each time you go up the chain.”

Ku’ulei Rodgers,

Coral Reef Ecologist, Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology

In addition to following “the three R’s,” (reducing, reusing and recycling) you can also help the environment by composting biodegradable waste in your garden, purchasing sustainable seafood, avoiding purchasing items that are made from coral or other marine life, conserving water, and becoming an advocate for reef conservation!

By keeping plastic debris and other litter—bottles, drinking straws, diapers, carry-out food containers, cans, fishing line, etc.—off the beaches and out of the ocean, you can do your part and help save Hawaii’s coral reefs!