Here’s something to think about the next time you plan to slather on the SPF 30 and jump in the ocean: sunscreen causes coral bleaching, and may even “induce latent viral infections in coral”. Coral is very fragile and already being destroyed at an alarming rate. Coral is extremely important to the ocean’s ecosystem and needs to be protected, or it is predicted that the world’s coral population will be cut in half by 2030. I am sure everyone wants to do their part to cut down on the amount of sunblock getting into the ocean, but would also like to avoid melanoma, so here are some sunblock-free alternatives to help you avoid skin cancer while at the beach:

• O’Neill shirts or Coolibar clothes with UV protection
• A good beach umbrella
• Hats with wide brims
• Sunglasses with UV protection

Here are some really informative links about coral:

• Coral Reef Conservation Program
• The International Coral Reef Initiative
• ReefBase: A Global Information System for Coral Reefs
• Reef Futures
• NOVA: Coral bleaching - will global warming kill the reefs?