Do your part with reef safe sunscreen

October 21st, 2009

The sunscreen that you slather on before a swim in the ocean may be protecting your body but may also be killing coral reefs worldwide. Zooxanthellae provide corals with their food energy through photosynthesis and also contribute to the corals’ vibrant colors. Without them the corals turn white (bleach out) and die. Certain chemicals used in sunscreen manufacturing can cause the algae in the corals to become infected and explode causing the coral to die. It is estimated that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreens wash off swimmers annually in our oceans worldwide and that up to 10% of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching.

If you’d like to get some reef safe sunscreen before your next vacation or to keep on hand because you’re lucky enough to live in warm weather climates, stop by this website.