by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:36 PM ET, Thu April 11, 2019
Mark your calendars, there's a new annual observance of an important environmental issue in the works.
This June 1 will be the first inaugural World Reef Day, an occasion designed to reflect on the increasingly precarious state of the ocean's coral reefs.
Founded by Raw Elements and supported by concerned businesses, scientific communities and influencers, the goal of World Reef Day is to shed light on the state of our global reefs, while also illustrating how even individuals can make a change or take a stand.
"The launch of World Reef Day is the culmination of a lifelong dream of ours to make a difference on this planet through awareness, education and positive action," said Brian Guadagno, founder, and CEO of Raw Elements USA. "As consumers become more aware of the perils facing our oceans, we want to empower them to initiate simple changes in their daily lives, such as using reef-safe sunscreen and reducing plastic waste, which will have an enormous impact on the planet."
The recurring annual day will be a time for the world to come together in awareness and activation to effect positive change for our world reefs, according to a statement describing the new event.
Being organized with the support of such heavy hitters as Hawaiian Airlines and Aqua-Aston Hospitality, this will be no small initiative. World Reef Day will kick-off a full month of activities focused on the environment and designed to spur conversations and actions to support sustainability.
The new annual event has already been recognized by the National Day Calendar Association and was inspired by new legislation that will go into effect in Hawaii and Key West, Florida in January 2021 banning the use of sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, two chemicals that have been shown to be very harmful to coral reefs.
World Reef Day hopes to raise awareness regarding how reefs are hurt by sunscreens as well as industrial pollution, plastic pollution and sewage.
"Two easy steps we can take to protect these precious resources are by wearing non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen and reducing our use of plastics that contribute to marine plastic pollution," said Dr. Craig Downs, Ph.D. and forensic ecotoxicologist whose 2015 peer-reviewed study found oxybenzone was a threat to coral reefs.
Organizers are also encouraging consumers and businesses to get involved with worthy organizations that are making a difference in the future of coral reefs such as:
-Haereticus Environmental Laboratory (HEL). A non-profit scientific organization dedicated to increasing scientific, social and economic knowledge of natural environmental habitats in order to better conserve and restore threatened environmental habitats and resources.
-The Friends of Hanauma Bay. A group dedicated to the conservation of coastal and marine environments, emphasizing stewardship of the natural resources of Hanauma Bay.
- Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii. A grassroots local non-profit organization run by a small staff and supported by volunteers. Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii inspires local communities to care for their coastlines through fun, hands-on beach cleanups, educational programs, team building corporate cleanups, waste diversion services, public awareness campaigns.
World Reef Day is hoping to further raise awareness of this important issue by launching a consumer-focused sweepstakes that includes giving away a trip for four to Hawaii.
One randomly chosen winner will receive 320,000 HawaiianMiles, the equivalent of a roundtrip flight from any of Hawaiian Airlines' 13 U.S. gateway cities to Hawaii for four people, and a complimentary stay at The Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club, an Aqua-Aston Hospitality property.
The selected winners will also be able to take part in curated reef experiences with world-leading ocean influencers Ocean Ramsey and Garrett McNamara, an ocean-to-table cooking lesson with Ed Kenney of Mahina and Sun's,
The award will also include prize packs from Vissla, SISSTREVOLUTION, Pura Vida Bracelets, Package Free Shop and Health-Ade.
And if all of that is not enough, there will also be eco-activities in Hawaii and an awareness event hosted on Oahu on June 1st to round out the initial World Reef Day launch.
Full details about the sweepstakes can be found here.
Hawaiian Airlines meanwhile, will celebrate World Reef Day on the ground and at 35,000 feet by distributing complimentary Raw Elements sunscreen samples on all flights to Hawaii from North America, Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland and Papeete from May 25 through June 1.
Guests will also be able to purchase specially-priced sunscreen products from the airline's Pau Hana cart and learn more about World Reef Day via a new educational video available on all flights operated by the Airbus A330 aircraft.
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