The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest chain of coral reefs. It is made up of more than 2,00 individual reefs and stretches 132,973 square miles. It is home to a wide variety of sea-life and birds. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, "The site contains a huge diversity of species including over 1,500 species of fish, about 360 species of hard coral, 5,000 species of mollusc, and more than 175 species of bird, plus a great diversity of sponges, anemones, marine worms and crustaceans, among others." Many endangered species also rely on the Great Barrier reef for food and habitation. The system of reefs is a vital component to the survival and prosperity of life in the Pacific Ocean.
The Problem of Pesticides
Efforts have been being made to conserve and protect the Great Barrier Reef since the 1970s. Strict rules and regulations have been placed on the ocean surrounding the Great Barrier Reef. However, the activities on the mainland are harming the reefs. Currently, the most pressing concern is the use of pesticides. Farmers in Australia use the pesticides and herbicides to kill bugs and weeds that are harmful to their crops or livestock. These chemicals are then washed into the ocean, to the Great Barrier Reef. Even farms that are located farther inland have a harmful effects of the reefs. The herbicides and pesticides are washed into the rivers, and eventually the rivers reach the ocean, along with the chemicals.
The Coca-Cola Foundation has partnered with researchers and scientists to find a more sustainable way to farm without harming the reef or production of crops and livestock.
Resources
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3kPgbPPqvQ
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154/
http://www.wwf.org.au/our_work/saving_the_natural_world/oceans_and_marine/priority_ocean_places/great_barrier_reef/threats/pesticides/
http://www.aims.gov.au/docs/research/water-quality/runoff/pesticides-climate-risk.html
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