To most of us, corals may just be an added bonus to our holidays. They may just seem like decorations in the background, to make our pictures look prettier and for us to smile in wonder. Some of us may be selfish enough to break these things when we go to visit them. A few of us may not even be aware that they are alive. Because of our ignorance and our selfish actions, we’ve caused the ocean some damage; it looks less lovely and colourful, less alive and vibrant than it should be. For this reason, a few of our upperclassmen have decided to take matters into their own hands.
Alisha, Salsa and Adam of Year 13 have started their campaign to protect these corals. They have an instagram account (@karangkita) that posts pictures explaining the importance of corals, their current conditions and a few fun facts. Aside from this, they sell merchandise such as ocean-themed pins to raise funds. When asked why they decided to start this campaign, Salsa said that they wanted to prevent the exploitation of corals and other forms of marine life, as well as to raise awareness of their importance. The group of three realised that corals were often overlooked, despite their significant contribution to life under the sea, one of which was providing 50% of the oxygen. The group, through Adam, has access to people dealing with corals and the resources for replanting these corals; this was another reason for them to start this project. They say that aside from the last minute change of plans, there have been little to no issues in dealing with this project. The group will continue to run this campaign even after they’ve received their diploma, despite this being a CAS project for their IB curriculum. With enough motivation and knowledge, we can also help in the healing of the earth. Whatever our interests may be, let this be an inspiration for us to start our own campaigns, with the issues we feel we must pay more attention to. If we can all try to follow in our upperclassmen’s footsteps, we may be every little step closer to saving our home, our planet, our Earth. Anya Anggita |