For our location class this week we were tasked with watching a Netflix film, which can also be found on YouTube called Chasing Coral, this is a film about the effect global warming is having on the coral reefs around the world, it is an emotional film and one I would recommend everyone to watch. We have also to watch other films pick two that we think has a theme connected to the environment or climate sustainability.
Name three interesting things about Coral that you did not know already - 1. Coral is its own ecosystem, home to many different organisms including fish, 2. Vast quantities of Coral die very quickly, over the space of a couple of months, 3. There are so many different types of coral and in so many different places around the world.
What is the name given to Coral when it is turning white? - Bleaching
Why is the coral bleaching - it’s dying due to rising temperatures in the oceans / seas ....What are the factors that are creating this phenomenon - rising world wide temperatures due to pollution like burning carbon fuels, heat is being trapped and reflected back down to the oceans / seas
When did the coral start bleaching, what decade? - 1980′s, although this has increased immensely in the 2000′s ..... Explain what could be a factor - the rising temperatures of the oceans
What was the film-makers challenge with showing the coral bleaching in a photograph? - being underwater over long periods of time, they had to build a camera that would withstand being under water taking constant images for a couple of months, in the end only the first image was in focus and they had to do it manually, divers going down every day for a couple of months to take the pictures and show the rapid change.
When the corals were glowing fluorescent what was happening to them? - They were fighting to survive ,,,,,,, stage before bleaching
What did the film-makers believe the coral was trying to say by glowing fluorescent? - Look at me, I’m here, pay attention you are killing us
What positive things are people doing to combat coral bleaching, list at least three - 1. As far as coral is concerned the local divers around the world are photographing their local coral to help catalogue what is happening, 2. Teaching young children about the environment and its importance in a fun way and encouraging their interest as they grow older. 3. Improving peoples lives by creation of jobs, reducing pollution and greenifying cities. 4. Encourage countries to use clean energy. 5. Teaching others about the importance of reducing global warming by making simple changes to their lives like recycling, and reducing their power consumption by turning off lights when not needed, for example. 6. Walk or cycle instead of driving for short journeys or use public transport for longer journeys to reduce pollution.
I’ve posted some images from the net showing healthy coral, the transition from healthy coral - bleaching - dead, and some dead coral.
During the making of this film we were advised that about 67% of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral is now dead 29% of that occurred by 2016. Worldwide about 50% of the coral is in a state of dying or dead.
This coral ecosystem, worldwide, could be extinct within the next 30 years if we don’t do something to slow down the global climate emergency now.
