A Bleach Stain on the Environment
How people’s views on the Great Barrier Reef changed once it was threatened.
By: Eliza Hart
Feb. 8, 2021
Coral reefs are one of Earth’s most beautiful natural features. Scuba divers love to see the magnificent colors and the array of fish living in the reefs. Tourists flock to these amazing sites, the most famous being the Great Barrier reef in Australia. The reef is so large that it can even be seen from space. People love to visit these places, but what happens when they are under attack? And even worse, what happens when people are the assailants? Do people really care about the protection of the Great Barrier reef?
According to the EPA, coral reefs are home to 25 percent of all marine life. These species depend on the reefs for shelter, and people rely on the reefs for food…and to catch a glimpse of some cool fish. The EPA estimates that the net benefit each year of coral reefs is nearly 30 billion dollars, the rough equivalent of buying six Buckingham Palaces. The reef’s value comes from tourist income, coastal protection that reefs provide, and food production via fishing.
Ordinarily, coral reefs display vibrant colors. These colors are the result of algae that live symbiotically on the coral surface. The coral and the algae both benefit from the relationship but with climate change and pollution worsening every year, things are changing. Coral bleaching is the result of the coral expelling the coral algae due to environmental stress, such as climate change. This gives the coral a white, bone-like appearance, making reefs look like eerie, underwater graveyards. The bleaching leaves the coral more vulnerable to disease and, if prolonged, will cause the coral’s death.
Scientists have known for years that this is an issue, but what about regular people? A study published in 2019 in the journal Nature Climate Change surveyed tourists before and after a 2016 heatwave-induced, massive bleaching event struck the Great Barrier Reef. The researchers provided statements that the surveyed people could rate on a scale of 1-10 from strongly disagree at 1 to strongly agree at 10. Curnock and the other scientists compiled the data and found that the ratings for the value of the reef increased after the bleaching event. The scientists also found that even though the surveyed people were tourists, their sense of attachment and cultural relevance surrounding the reef increased. The first question in the survey was the only one that was open-ended. It asked the tourists “What is the first word that came to mind when you think of the Great Barrier reef?” Once this landmark was threatened people went from simply mentioning the weather or the beach, to talking more about the reef’s beauty and cultural importance. And, its vulnerability.
The old saying, “you don’t know what you have until you’ve lost it,” rings true in this case, but there’s a catch. While people are starting to take notice of this major problem, they are also feeling more demoralized. Sure, the tourists value the reef more now that it could be gone in a few years, but there was also a decrease in the surveyed people’s sense of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is how much you believe in your abilities to succeed at a certain task. After the bleaching event, people were grief-stricken. Responses to the statement, “I cannot make a personal difference in improving the health of the GBR,” increased from 4.98 to 5.2, which was statistically significant. The tourists had developed a sense of hopelessness which resulted in a drop in personal responsibility for climate change.
But there is still hope. Part of the study’s findings showed that the number of people who strongly agreed with the statement “I would like to do more to help protect the GBR” also increased: from 7 to 7.42. People want to make a difference but just may not think they can. Acting on this sentimental value to boost people’s sense of self-efficacy could be one of the most useful tools we have against climate change. What happened to the Great Barrier Reef wasn’t the result of just Australians not doing enough for the planet, but a symptom of global irresponsibility. Recycling, reducing food waste, and using renewable energy are all things you can start doing wherever you are today that will make a big impact against climate change. Your actions matter. We all must do our part to save places like the Great Barrier Reef before it’s too late.
Bibliography
Curnock MI, Marshall NA, Thiault L, Heron SF, Hoey J, Williams G, Taylor B, Pert PL, Goldberg J. Shifts in tourists’ sentiments and climate risk perceptions following mass coral bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef. Nature Climate Change. 2019 [accessed 2021 Jan 31];9(7):535–541. http://libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/shifts-tourists-sentiments-climate-risk/docview/2246927788/se-2?accountid=14244. doi:10.1038/s41558-019-0504-y
Basic Information about Coral Reefs. EPA. 2018 May 4 [accessed 2021 Feb 9]. https://www.epa.gov/coral-reefs/basic-information-about-coral-reefs#:~:text=Coral%20reefs%20are%20among%20the,point%20in%20their%20life%20cycle.
Radford-Wattley A. Which royal palace is worth the most money? Fox Business. 2020 Mar 5 [accessed 2021 Feb 11]. https://www.foxbusiness.com/real-estate/the-royal-familys-real-estate-portfolio#:~:text=Buckingham%20Palace,-Image%201%20of&text=Estimated%20value%3A%20Reported%20at%20over%20%245%20billion.