by Leslie Dame '28
Guam: “Where America’s Day Begins”. An island typically forgotten but rich in history, culture, and natural diversity. This place, a home of mine for only 3 years, is a testament to the vast diversity found throughout Earth and proves why natural habitats need to be protected, especially coral reefs. In places like Guam, the coral reef is a natural habitat for thousands of marine species and a shield from storms that would otherwise eradicate the 38-mile-long island. Coral reefs are consistently dwindling due to the environmental decline of our planet and the destructive policies by the American government that overlook the consequences of mocking the natural world.
I realized corals were truly alive when I went snorkeling for the first time. I noticed fish, plants, sharks, and other snorkelers, and understood that something is alive because of all the life around it. Currently, the planet is dealing with its fourth major bleaching event in the last ten years, an unprecedented amount of decay in such a short time. Bleaching events are the mass death of corals in an area. NOAA reports that this event is occurring across several oceans – the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic Oceans – which is troubling because coral only grows a couple of inches per year, and it would take generations to repair what has already been lost. This is because coral is extremely sensitive to water temperatures, pH levels, and many man-made chemicals that seep into the ocean through runoff. Corals filter water to produce oxygen, meaning they help reduce carbon dioxide present in the water and house filter feeders such as sponges, which help clean the oceans of toxins. And the chance of reefs repairing themselves can only occur if the optimal environment for corals to thrive returns.
Corals are much more than just glorified rocks; they play a pivotal role in tropical habitats and the surrounding areas. Corals bring in millions of dollars of revenue each year through tourism and fishing, resulting in many cities, towns, and countries relying on the health of the reefs for their economy to thrive.
The direst issue affecting coral reefs is rising temperatures, which is a man-made problem and therefore our responsibility to address. Around 93% of the excess heat from human global warming contributions is absorbed by the oceans, meaning that as we compromise corporate gain over environmental gain, we compromise the millions of species living in the ocean and the humans who rely on these reefs. With policies such as increased oil drilling and regulations that don’t incentivize businesses to protect the environment, our coral reefs will continue to suffer. Seeing these effects firsthand and seeing death impact a place that was so lively before made me want to take action.
I care about corals because of the time I spent living in Guam. But why should you care? In the ocean, creatures from the smallest plankton to the greatest blue whale are connected, and this idea extends to humanity. A principle called integral ecology holds that humans are not above the natural world; we are a part of it and therefore have a responsibility to protect it.
Sources & Further Reading
Coral Reef Condition: A Status Report for Guam 2018
NOAA: What is Ocean Acidification?
NOAA: Why are Coral Reefs Important
University of Guam: A Decade of Change on Guam's Coral Reefs
Banking on Climate Chaos: Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2023