The rumors are true- well half true; we are killing Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

The great reef is not dead yet, as some people believed it was from reading the obituary posted in Outside Magazine. The magazine read, “The Great Barrier Reef of Australia passed away in 2016 after a long illness. It was 25 million years old.” The article went on to claim scientists backed their information when they clearly did not. So there is still time to change our mindsets to save the Great Barrier Reef and the rest of our world's natural wonders.

When I was in kindergarten, a family from Australia moved in next door to us. The children were around my age and bragged about all of its natural beauty, the animals, the beaches and of course the Great Barrier Reef. I love the ocean and going to a place that was described to me as the most beautiful forest underwater is something I would spend my entire bank account on. Since then, my dream travel destination has been to spend a month in Australia and to experience the Great Barrier Reef. It is sad to me to learn that because of neglect to our oceans I might not get that opportunity.

CNN published an article in response to the obituary and the concern many people now carry for the reef’s death. Russell Brainard, chief of the Coral Reef Ecosystem Program at NOAA’s Pacific Island’s Fisheries Science Center, believes the obituary was more to highlight the drastic and urgent situation the reef is in. Coral bleaching is affecting 93% of the reef and has led to the decline of it’s health, but many have taken that at face value, storming social media and claiming the reef is already dead.

It is easier to deal with a problem that is unsolvable; you just move along to the next one. Maybe it is easier for people to believe the reef is already dead than to work on cleaning and healing our planet and changing how we live comfortably. The reef’s coral is not as strong and is trying to recover from bleaching events. The coral's deterioration is due also in part to mining, fishing, burning fossil fuels and other human interaction. This obituary that spread over social media did nothing more but provide only half true information that led the public to feel helpless and there was nothing they could do to save the reef.

There is nothing wrong with expressing thoughts and opinions, but using social media to escalate a problem instead of promoting a solution is a waste of time. From another side of the planet, it may seem hard to help in a case like the Great Barrier Reef. However, whatever case you feel close to you can find ways to help in your community, even if it is just informing your community. Spreading false facts that have no backings behind them only creates more confusion for your case and does not separate it from the normal stream of fake information on social media. If you care about a case, research it; find out the truth and share it. The truth calls people to action.

The Australian government released the Reef 2050 Plan annual report, which is their plan to invest $2 billion into improving the great reef. The plan was developed as a framework for the next 35 years to save and preserve the Great Barrier Reef.

I plan to go to Australia and visit the reef sometime after I graduate.

Original content with information drawn from these articles: http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/14/us/barrier-reef-obit-trnd/

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/585333/scitech/science/dying-but-not-dead-the-great-barrier-reef-can-still-be-saved

http://www.environment.gov.au/marine/gbr/long-term...