[Coral-List] Evidence links decline of coral reefs to sewer pipes

[Gabe Sataloff]

Hey everybody,
It's nice to see that we are finally able to give some concrete evidence
linking the anthropogenic sources of sewage and runoff to the decreased
health of corals.  Though I think this is a nice article and a step foward,
I still have a couple of issues.

First, it drives me nuts that the burden of proof lies on the scientists and
environmental advocates to prove that what people are doing has deleterious
effects on reefs, and the environment in general (I know I'm preaching to
the choir here).  I know this is highly unlikely (i.e. nigh to impossible),
but I believe that there needs to be a change in how the system is run, that
developers and businesses, etc must prove that what their practices are not
having a large impact on the environment (my idealism is showing through
here).  I feel that at this point, we as a society wait until there is a
gaping wound in the environment, and then try to patch it up with bandaids.
Again, I know this is more of an idealistic rant than anything, but if more
proactive measures are not enacted to preserve the reefs, and other
economically, asthetically, and intrinsicaly valuable habitats, there will
be very little left in the near future.  At what point do we say that enough
is enough?

Gabe Sataloff
Graduate Student
Masters of Environmental Studies
College of Charleston


On 4/18/06, Etichscuba at aol.com <Etichscuba at aol.com> wrote:
>
> Evidence surfaces linking decline of coral reefs to  sewer pipes,
> Study backs environmentalists' suspicions that  chemicals from sewer pipes
> and coastal runoff may be harming coral  reefs.
>
> By David Fleshler
> South Florida Sun-Sentinel
> Posted April 16  2006
>
> Link to Sun-Sentinel article:
> _http://www.sun-
> sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-ccoral16apr16,0,22389
> 10.story_
> (
> http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-ccoral16apr16,0,2238910.story
> )
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