by Ella Dunham

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef and is one of the seven natural wonders of the world... it’s not hard to see why! The reef stretches over 3000km (to put that in perspective, it’s about the same size as Italy) and is home to some of the most magnificent coral and marine life on earth. It’s no wonder that two million tourists take the trip to the beautiful World Heritage Site each year. But sadly, pollution and climate change can pose threats to the reef. Here are some things you can do, even from the other side of the world, to help keep it thriving!

Stay informed

By keeping up-to-date with conservation efforts, news and constantly learning new things about the Great Barrier Reef, you’ll be able to spread the word about how important the reef is to the global ecosystem. Plus, your excitement will help get people involved!

You can also use social media to share articles about climate change and marine life and how our everyday actions can affect the reef; by doing so you’ll keep it in the forefront of peoples’ minds.

Responsible Tourism

If you’re fortunate enough to visit the Great Barrier Reef – lucky you! But here are a few things you should know:

• Avoid touching the reef; corals on reefs are just like small animals. They are very fragile and damage easily, so make sure you’re aware of your surroundings when snorkelling or diving.
• Don’t get too close to the reef when wearing a lot of sun cream; the oils can damage the reef.
• Never consider taking a piece of coral reef off to take with you – remember, it’s their home!
• Don’t litter – when rubbish ends up on the coral reef, it can smother them. They are living organisms who need to breathe just like me and you. It can also cause serious harm to other marine life that live on the reef.
• You can help all coral reefs, and not just the Great Barrier Reef, by volunteering to take part in beach clean-ups.

Reducing your carbon footprint

Global warming is one of the main threats posed to the Great Barrier Reef. Here’s how you can reduce your carbon footprint to help stop global warming and keep the reef thriving and accessible:

• Where possible, ride your bike or walk to work. If that’s not possible, using public transportation or carpooling can reduce your carbon footprint.
• Conserve energy – invest in long-lasting light bulbs and turn off appliances and lights when they aren’t in use. Solar panels may seem like a hefty investment but they are worth it in the long run!
• Go local – a large amount of greenhouse gas emissions are a result of the production and transportation of food. By buying locally produced food (or growing your own), you can cut down your carbon footprint.
• Eat sustainably – unsustainable food production methods can reduce species’ ability to maintain its population at healthy levels. This is a particular issue with fish – fish who call coral reefs home!
• Cut down on water usage – for example, have shorter showers rather than baths, turn the tap off whilst brushing your teeth and make water-efficient choices when buying shower heads, dishwashers and washing machines.
• Follow the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Reduce your use of plastic

Plastic that ends up in the ocean can choke, entangle or smother the Great Barrier Reef’s coral and marine life, and contains harmful chemical pollutants. You can easily use less plastic… here’s how:

• Buy food with less packaging (for example buy loose rather than packaged vegetables).
• Re-use shopping bags – the 5p charge was introduced for a reason, supermarkets want you to reduce your plastic use too!
• Use a refillable water bottle.
• Pack lunches in reusable containers rather than food bags.

You can also help to protect the Great Barrier Reef by supporting conservation organisations, locally and globally, and by volunteering or donating. We need to act now to preserve the Great Barrier Reef for future generations…so get involved and help to ensure its protection!

If this blog has inspired you to visit the Great Barrier Reef, you can see our amazing Australia holidays here.