From the Earth Day Network (https://www.earthday.org):
Coral reefs support 25% of all marine life with more than one million animal and plant species living in these complex ecosystems. But coral reefs are under serious threat and need your help! This is where YOU come in.
Join Earth Day Network to protect corals and Protect Our Species across the globe.
Today, we are asking you to do one thing to help protect coral reefs. Buy only oxybenzone and octinoxate-free sunscreens and send your comments to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) urging them to remove these chemicals from sunscreens.
The FDA has issued a proposed rule that would update regulatory requirements for most sunscreen products in the United States and is seeking public comment until May 28, 2019. A draft letter is available here to use or modify to send to the Administration. Read some suggestions here about submitting effective comments.
Do one thing to help protect coral reefs! Send your comments at https://www.regulations.gov/comment?D=FDA-1978-N-0018-0841.
Oxybenzone and octinoxate have both been linked to hormone disruption and allergic skin reactions while posing a significant threat to coral reefs including bleaching and death. In response, Hawaii has become the first state to pass legislation banning sunscreens containing these ingredients and other governments and nations are following suit. These growing efforts are inspiring, and we must encourage more action to protect these habitats which are irreplaceable parts of ecosystems around the planet. Learn more here about the current threats facing corals and why we need to protect them.
As we approach Earth Day (April 22), we ask you to protect corals and Protect Our Species across the globe.
- Download our Protect Our Species Primer and Action Toolkit to learn everything you need to know about the species loss crisis and the steps you can take to help reverse it.
- Download our resources to organize for Earth Day 2019.
- Use hashtags #EarthDay2019 and #ProtectOurSpecies.
Got ideas? Please share your plans to Protect Our Species.
Together we can slow the pace of extinction!
Thank you for being part of our global movement to Protect Our Species.
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