5/12/2021 My First StepBy Allie Bricca
I recall one of the first times I learned about coral reef bleaching in my eighth grade science class. I stared at a screen, watching fishermen haul thousands of sea creatures from ocean depths which they had never bothered to explore. I studied as beautiful coastal birds choked on filthy plastic that littered nearly every inch of a small island near the Pacific Garbage Patch. Pollution was killing reefs across the globe. Our pollution. I was horrified with humanity. How could we let things go this far? But more importantly, I was horrified with myself. As a surfer, I feel little distance between myself and my environment. I see myself as an embedded part of nature, despite my humanness. The thought that a complex ecosystem that lay not far below my surfboard is disappearing as a result of my own doing is extremely disheartening. I was disappointed in myself that I had never bothered to take action on such a pressing cause, but I had to start somewhere. Joining CRCP’s blog team was an important first step. Through my writing, I strive to bridge the gap between the earth and humanity. Specifically, our precious coral reefs. I have seen how people often choose to impersonalize what is happening to our planet; nobody really wants the blame to fall on their shoulders. But it’s all about taking a first step — and this is mine. Comments are closed.
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