[Coral-List] Reef Safe Bill In Hawaii

Esti Winter esti.winter at gmail.com
Wed Apr 12 01:51:50 EDT 2017


Although I agree there are many anthropogenically driven challenges to reef health and that sunscreens containing oxybenzones is only one in many...this threat should not be ignored. The additive effects of our mismanagement of reef and coastal habitats is leading to ongoing and increasing reef destruction. For the population at large it is easier to rally around opposition of single factors that have been proven to have effects, than multiple and at times hierarchical effectors whose modes of action may be more difficult to explain. I think therefore when there is clear scientific basis for the effects of these chemicals on reef organisms as shown in our papers this should not be ignored!! Can we ignore these effectors while waiting for long term field experiments that must take into account all the additional anthropogenic effectors? Is it not better to use the cautionary principle? I am sure that the cosmetic and pharma companies can "take the hit" and rally back with safer products for reefs ... Actually this may even improve the sales of those companies that will pick up the challenge to produce such products!!

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 11, 2017, at 1:14 AM, Tim Brown - NOAA Affiliate <tim.brown at noaa.gov> wrote:
> 
> Devils advocate here but the whole reef safe sunscreen campaign feels like
> such a fashionable trend right now....(like yoga and surfing)....an easy
> consumable product that people can simply purchase to feel good about
> themselves while perpetuating more pervasive causes of large scale reef
> destruction like coastal development and first-world over-consumption.
> 
> i.e.: Tourists buying reef-safe sunscreen are encouraged to feel they are
> "saving the reef" by making this consumption choice while staying at
> massive coastal resort complexes that drain large quantities of Nitrogen
> and Phosphorous into nearshore waters.
> 
> 
> The negative effects on coral larvae of concentrated Oxybenzone in small
> quantities of water in closed lab studies are undeniable... but neither can
> we deny the runoff effects from golf courses, landscaping, and coastal
> development.
> 
> Its unpopular to challenge a population's way of life but perhaps there is
> some way to support a more holistic approach to sustainability than simply
> purchasing one product over another.  How do we create a paradigm shift in
> the prevailing American attitude regarding consumption and
> wastefulness...can we make this as fun and trendy (and easy) as buying a
> new sunscreen???
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On Thu, Apr 6, 2017 at 11:23 AM, Be Reef Safe <bereefsafe at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Aloha,
>> 
>> We have been working hard in Hawaii to improve our reefs and sponsoring a
>> reef-safe sunscreen bill which has been watered down into a study, that
>> probably won't be funded.
>> 
>> Our funding applications to study oxybenzone effects on the reefs in Hawaii
>> has been denied by NOAA as they are focused on climate change.
>> 
>> We need support to pressure our lawmakers to help us remove dangerous
>> chemicals from products that are harming the reefs. We are so close to
>> making it happen.
>> 
>> The latest wording of the bill prior has been to remove the "ban" and
>> replace it with a study.
>> http://www.bereefsafe.com/hawaii-bill-relating-
>> preserving-coral-reefs-sb1150/
>> 
>> Dan
>> 
>> http://www.bereefsafe.com
>> http://www.haereticus-lab.org/donations-fundraising/
>> https://bantoxicsunscreens.com/
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> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> ------------------------------------------------------
> 
> *Timothy BrownMokupapapa Discovery Center*
> *Papahanoumokuakea Marine National Monument*
> 76 Kamehameha Ave
> Hilo, HI 96720
> tim.brown at noaa.gov
> ------------------------------------------------------
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