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deadline: 1-1-2009
goal: 17,000

Protect Ocean Life During International Year of the Reef

Sponsored by: International Year of the Reef

Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet - home and nursery for almost a million fish and other species. Unfortunately, about 70 percent of the world's coral reefs are threatened or destroyed, and 20 percent of those are damaged beyond repair. The resources coral reefs provide are worth about $375 billion each year - and they cover only one percent of the earth's surface. 2008 has been designated as the International Year of the Reef to raise awareness about the increasing threats to coral reefs. Whether you live near the ocean or thousands of miles away, you can help restore this amazing habitat.

Pledge to:

- Use ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to coral bleaching and ocean acidification, and threaten coral reef survival. Long lasting light bulbs are a bright idea. If every household replaced a burned out bulb with and energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulb, it would prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that produced by about 800,000 cars.

- Use naturally-derived and biodegradable detergents and cleaning products. The chemicals we use end up in our waterways and are carried to the oceans. Just one pound of phosphorus in water produces about 500 pounds of algae, blocking sunlight and starving coral reefs. Outside the house, minimize the impacts of fertilizer by using zero-phosphorus products or no more than one pound per 1,000 square feet of turf area for nitrogen.

- Not give coral as presents. Corals are popular as souvenirs, for home decor and in costume jewelry, but corals are living animals that grow and reproduce. It takes corals decades or longer to create reef structures, so leave corals and other marine life on the reef.

- If I use the ocean for recreational purposes, I will use reef-mooring buoys for my boat whenever possible, or anchor in sandy areas away from coral and sea grasses so the anchor doesn't drag on corals or tear up sea grass beds. When diving and snorkeling, I will maintain proper buoyancy control, never touch the reefs and spread the word about coral reef stewardship.

Already signed this pledge? Now sign the International Declaration of Reef Rights: http://www.reefcheck.org/petition/petition.php

Take the Pledge!

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We signed the “Protect Ocean Life During International Year of the Reef” Pledge!

# 10,950:

6:23 pm PDT, Jul 6, Luke Pickett, Virginia

# 10,949:

5:36 pm PDT, Jul 6, James Robertson, Arkansas

# 10,948:

5:32 pm PDT, Jul 6, Igor Purlantov, New York

# 10,947:

5:13 pm PDT, Jul 6, Joseph Levine, California

# 10,946:

4:54 pm PDT, Jul 6, LD Kranz, North Carolina

# 10,945:

4:51 pm PDT, Jul 6, Donna Adkins, North Carolina

# 10,944:

4:52 pm PDT, Jul 6, Name not displayed, Nebraska

# 10,943:

4:45 pm PDT, Jul 6, Emma Vinciguerra, Florida

# 10,942:

4:40 pm PDT, Jul 6, Dan Chancellor, Colorado

# 10,941:

4:26 pm PDT, Jul 6, Pamela Stricker, California

# 10,940:

4:15 pm PDT, Jul 6, Amy Pogue, New York

# 10,939:

4:09 pm PDT, Jul 6, Jenny Cozine, Florida

# 10,938:

4:09 pm PDT, Jul 6, Sassy G, Texas

# 10,937:

3:48 pm PDT, Jul 6, Madelyn Jung, Colorado

# 10,936:

3:46 pm PDT, Jul 6, Mario Furtado, New Jersey

# 10,935:

3:41 pm PDT, Jul 6, Barbara Boehme, Texas

# 10,934:

3:11 pm PDT, Jul 6, Melody Perry, Florida

# 10,933:

3:09 pm PDT, Jul 6, Jane Shouse, New York

# 10,932:

2:38 pm PDT, Jul 6, Bozenna Frej, Canada

# 10,931:

2:34 pm PDT, Jul 6, Edward Kotlan, Canada

# 10,930:

2:27 pm PDT, Jul 6, Derick F., Canada

# 10,929:

2:24 pm PDT, Jul 6, Dorothy O'Brien, California
My children all like to dive. I want my grandkids to enjoy the coral reefs too.

# 10,928:

2:21 pm PDT, Jul 6, Richelle Rausch, Washington
We have no right to destroy coral reefs!

# 10,927:

2:20 pm PDT, Jul 6, Gail & Rick Konopacki, Wisconsin

# 10,926:

2:17 pm PDT, Jul 6, Aimee Shepard, Arizona

# 10,925:

2:11 pm PDT, Jul 6, Elizabeth McComas, Florida

# 10,924:

2:11 pm PDT, Jul 6, David Melvin, New Jersey

# 10,923:

2:03 pm PDT, Jul 6, Name not displayed, Texas

# 10,922:

1:49 pm PDT, Jul 6, Brian K. Sutton, Kentucky
Save the reefs!!!!

# 10,921:

1:28 pm PDT, Jul 6, Name not displayed, New York

# 10,920:

1:11 pm PDT, Jul 6, Tamarah Swensen, Netherlands

# 10,919:

1:05 pm PDT, Jul 6, Donnie Feith, Nebraska

# 10,918:

1:01 pm PDT, Jul 6, Julia Jester, Arkansas

# 10,917:

12:55 pm PDT, Jul 6, Jeanette Harvestplanet, United Kingdom
I have also learnt that chlorine which is used to destroy germs in our drinking water destroys oxegen. The french use a different system maybe one which america and Great britain should use. Think about this we are drinking water that destroys life because without oxegen in the water fish cannot live. Also think about humans we are drinking water that takes oxegen out of our cells which is basically cancer causing because cancer cannot live in the prescence of oxegen. Really something needs to be done about water treatment sooner rather than later.

# 10,916:

12:50 pm PDT, Jul 6, Evangelia Nicoloudakis, Pennsylvania

# 10,915:

11:12 am PDT, Jul 6, Justin Am, United Kingdom

# 10,914:

10:47 am PDT, Jul 6, Name not displayed, California

# 10,913:

10:38 am PDT, Jul 6, Melissa Moore, Alabama

# 10,912:

10:30 am PDT, Jul 6, Cheri Van Nest, Arizona

# 10,911:

9:56 am PDT, Jul 6, Name not displayed, North Carolina

# 10,910:

9:55 am PDT, Jul 6, Lorraine MacArtor, North Carolina

# 10,909:

9:15 am PDT, Jul 6, Elsa Rush, New York

# 10,908:

8:59 am PDT, Jul 6, Name not displayed, New Jersey

# 10,907:

8:57 am PDT, Jul 6, Christopher Smith, Maine

# 10,906:

8:42 am PDT, Jul 6, Prawoto Heriyanto, Indonesia

# 10,905:

8:24 am PDT, Jul 6, Michael Andersson, New York
I was horrified to learn that 70% of the world's coral reefs are threatened or destroyed. My human impulse is to react the same way I would react to the potential extinction of any animal. Just as the world is hopefully becoming very conscious of global warming and environmental destruction on land, so too must we look at how we interact with the majestic nature of the seas. Thank you.

# 10,904:

7:38 am PDT, Jul 6, Chris Newman, Canada

# 10,903:

7:36 am PDT, Jul 6, Esther Howell, Florida

# 10,902:

7:29 am PDT, Jul 6, Beverley Hill, United Kingdom

# 10,901:

7:20 am PDT, Jul 6, Marjorie Angelo, Florida

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