The Great Barrier Reef is Dying Faster then David Attenborough

Apathy and Climate Change

As I turned off the godly voice of nature’s Grandfather, Sir David Attenborough, I stared blankly at the wall ahead. A solemn tear trickled down my cheek as I wallowed in self-pity, eventually coming to a profound realisation… humans’ suck. While we’re complaining about the Woolworths plastic bag ban, the Great Barrier Reef is turning into an underwater wasteland. Overwhelming increases in carbon dioxide emissions are making our oceans warmer and more acidic (unless you are a Donald Trump enthusiast and in that case, Global Warming is just a hoax). In 2016, a rise in sea temperature and acidity spiked a major bleaching event which destroyed two-thirds of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

High school graduate Megan Sims looks out the window with a solemn expression on her face as she reminisces the Coral Monitoring and Turtle Rehabilitation program she recently participated. “Where we went there was a lot of coral rubble, which means that not only has the coral died but none has come through under that,” she says, her expression turning to anger. “I remember I was writing 50% coral rubble for most of the sights. It’s just so upsetting because we were snorkeling in the most pristine part of the reef and it was still horribly damaged.” What Megan witnessed is what Professor Terry Hughes, director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies calls “The worst mass bleaching event in history.” As human beings, we are the only species with the power to destroy the planet and the only ones who can save it. So, here is why we aren’t.

It’s just so upsetting because we were snorkelling in the most pristine part of the reef and it was still horribly damaged"

As a 20-year-old University student, Isabelle Siberling looks at the world with unwavering optimism and hope. Having recently traveled to Canada to take part in an International Entrepreneurial Social Justice Competition named World’s Challenge Challenge. Amongst waffles and maple syrup, Isabelle and her team established a social media education campaign named #icannsavethereef. There Isabelle developed five daily habits that an individual can change to limit their greenhouse gas emissions. The young environmental enthusiast says it is sending a message to Australians that there is a solution that they can reach individually. “They need to become the voice that the reef does not have,” says Isabelle. As true blue Aussies, why aren’t we fighting for Nemo?

1. People are too set in their ways to make a change.

Life has never been more convenient. Need food? UberEats. Want clothes? Order online. Feel like a movie? Netflix and chill. However, as creatures of habit, we have become dangerously complacent and conditioned to our newly found lifestyle of ease and access, creating an epidemic of inertia. A study conducted by the Harvard Business School showed that people mainly resist change for the following reasons; a loss of control, disruption, and excess uncertainty. In the context of changing our lifestyles to support the survival of the reef, it becomes a matter of priority and sacrifice. How far are we willing to go to prevent an environmental catastrophe? Not that far apparently. “As individuals, we need to stand up and begin to make the small changes that send messages to big companies that we want to be more sustainable, we can make a huge impact by changing the smallest things that will hardly inconvenience us,” says Isabelle. As human beings, we are adaptable creatures and can easily make a lasting impact, according to psychiatrist Abigail Brenner. “We move from the passive state of just watching how things unfold to taking some action that enables us to utilise the change to create an outcome of our own choice,” says Dr. Brenner.

2. Out of sight out of mind

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on earth stretching for 2,300 kilometers along the Queensland coast. Isabelle sips through her reusable coffee cup as she remembers a childhood full of snorkels, laughter, and chafing. “Reef conservation is a passion of mine as I am originally from the Whitsundays which is alongside the Great Barrier Reef,” she says. “Growing up, I always had the opportunity to go out to the reef, which allowed me to see firsthand the deterioration in the condition of the reef and become passionate about saving it.” It’s not until we put on our scuba Steve costumes and see first hand the state of the reef that we can truly grasp the devastation. Dr. John Charlie Veron became the first Coral Reef Scientist in 1972 and discovered a third of the world’s known species. “I’ve been diving the same spots on the reef for 40 years, and over time I go back, and I am sickened by some of the changes I see,” He tells David Attenborough passionately. “Sometimes I go back to the same spot, and I can barely recognise it, some species have been wiped out from the shallows already.” Although the reef may seem to many as a far away underwater wonderland, the reproductions of its demise will impact everyone.

3. Capitalist Greed

Besides a decent kangaroo, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the leading tourist attractions in Australia. The Great Barrier Reef Foundation estimates the value of the reef is at a whopping $56 billion, with a total direct use benefit to domestic tourists at $29 billion, and overall direct use benefit to recreational vision $3 billion. The reality is that the reef is a substantial economic force, attracting two million visitors each year. Marine expert and Professor at James Cook University, Joshua Cinner, says the reef is a huge source of income for the Australian Government. “Market pressures for Australian reef fish now come from overseas; port dredging and shipping across the reef are spurred on by fossil fuel exports to Asia, and a housing crisis in the United States can batter reef tourism half a world away.” For the hundreds of businesses that rely on the reef, there remains a capitalist mentality that ensures the economy takes precedence over the impact on the environment.

4. Our impact feels Insignificant

Not using one plastic straw isn’t going to make a difference, said seven billion people. It’s pretty straightforward, our oceans control the weather, the climate, the air we breathe. Without a healthy ocean, we do not have a healthy planet. As we go about our mundane lives, we remember that 7.2 billion people share this planet and that the significance of our existence is limited to 400 friends on Facebook. While this is extremely depressing, what is worse is the possibility of losing the reef, so buy a reusable bag and get over it. “Often, I find that people neglect the responsibility because they feel overwhelmed by the situation,” says Isabelle. ”When you begin to research into the issues that the reef is facing, it can feel as though there is no way to fix them. This can be disheartening and put people into a short-term headspace where they say that it ‘isn’t my problem’ or 'someone else will find a solution. This is a dangerous way of thinking as individually; we can make a difference by taking steps towards protecting the environment.”