SAVE THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

[Theobromine]

Ok fellow mermaids...it's time for us all to stand up for and protect something we love. Australia's Environment Minister Greg Hunt just approved a massive plan to dredge and dump mining waste in the middle of the Great Barrier Reef. If this happens, it will be pretty catastrophic for the Reef and it will probably never recover from the damage. I'm actually so angry and upset about this right now I can barely type. But if enough of us act quickly enough we may be able to convince him to reverse his decision. Please please PLEASE take a few minutes to check out this information and sign a petition and send an email. If there's enough of an outcry he will hopefully back down and we won't lose this incredible treasure.

This site here has a lot of information and is specifically geared toward protecting the GBR against the mining and dredging plans: http://fightforthereef.org.au/
Here's a link to their Take Action page where you can tweet your disapproval to Greg Hunt: http://fightforthereef.org.au/gregdump/

Here's a link to an Australian site where you can send an email to Greg Hunt about the issue: https://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/great-barrier-reef--3/abbot-point-decision/email-minister-hunt (It asks for a postcode so if you're not in Australia, you can use postcode 4812 or 4814)

Here are a couple of Greenpeace pages on the topic as well: http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/news/climate/Save-The-Reef-from-coal/
Specific link to the petition: http://savethereef.org.au/

There are also a couple of Avaaz petitions, though I'm not sure how current they are, especially given the news yesterday that Greg Hunt actually decided to go ahead and approve the plan, but here they are anyway: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/australian_coal_disaster_global/ and http://www.avaaz.org/en/the_great_barrier_coal_mine_global/

I will update as I find more current ones.

Please everyone, take some time to help out. I know pretty much everyone here is here because they care about the ocean in some way. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most important and beautiful ecosystems in the ocean. It's not only important to me, it's important to all of us.

Update: Here's a new page from Greenpeace talking about the recent decision: http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/news/climate/This-terrible-plan-is-one-step-further-to-killing-our-Great-Barrier-Reef-for-good/

[PearlieMae]

SHARED!

[Mermaid Octavia]

Done! <3

[Mermaid_Sarah]

I signed the petition :)

[Mermaid Kelda]

There's also a twitter campaign going on (fightforthereef.org.au/gregdump (http://fightforthereef.org.au/gregdump)) so if you're on twitter you can tell Greg Hunt that it's not just Aussies who are furious at his decision.

[Echidna]

I cannot comprehend how this idea could even be conceived.
Isn't the reef protected by law as a wonder of nature?
Where's the government?

Mind-boggling, really.

[Rogue Siren]

What the hell?! In the middle of the reef?!! How stupid can people get?

[Mermaid Allie]

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD SERIOUSLY?! Did he even consider the environmental impact of this decision??! Our coral reefs are being decimated every day by human carelessness and this is the most blatantly stupid idea i've ever heard. I'll do all I can to help. Not to be a know it all or anything but I'm just confirming, is that save the reef site verified because they spelled "industrialization" incorrectly. I'll do anything I can to help, but I just want to contribute to the right cause.

[Mermaid Allie]

I just wrote the best email I could instead of writing my essay so he'd better read this. Considering writing a satire and sending copies and copies of it to his office so that he realizes how foolish he is being.
Not gonna lie this is the most persuasive thing ive ever written so i really wanted to share it

Ever since I was a child, I have been dreaming about swimming amongst the magnificent Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Now at the age of sixteen, fund deficiency still stands in the way of my dream. However, I am adamant in my decision, and I will persevere until I acquire sufficient funds to fulfill my endeavor. However, a black cloud of human carelessness, insensitivity, and monetarily motivated decisions are threatening the possibility of my greatest aspiration. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most diverse and majestic ecosystems in the entire world. When I heard of the possibility that reef would be destroyed by the imposing greed of industrialization, I was heartbroken, frantic to take action to reverse the plan. However, this email is my only way of retaliation against this insensitive and environmentally disastrous dredging project, especially because I live halfway around the world. It is your job; it is your duty to protect the irreplaceable and unique ecosystem that is the Great Barrier Reef, the largest living structure on our planet. The corals, over six hundred unique species, the mysterious sharks, the playful dolphins, the multitudinous fish populations, the invertebrates and the mollusks, the gentle, intelligent whales, all will suffer under your hands if this dredging project takes place. Imagine sitting in your home, and rubble and toxins flood into your kitchen. You are unable to escape, crushed and buried under the rubble until you suffocate, die of malnutrition, or suffer irreversible injuries. This is the way which innocent sea creatures will feel after the spoil from dredging is dumped onto the Great Barrier Reef. I hope you can realize the environmental calamities that would ensue, the disheartening of spirits, and the destruction of long-lived dreams that would be the result of this dredging project.


Sincerely,
Allison Michelle

[Theobromine]

Thank you for your help, everyone!!! This is the outrage we need! If Greg Hunt and the rest of the government hear of an international outcry, then MAYBE they will get it through their thick heads that this is the worst idea ever!!! Please continue with the signing, tweeting, and emailing, and share with everyone you know!

Mobilize the Mermaids!!!

[Theobromine]

This is the only article about it I found on News.com.au: http://www.news.com.au/national/queensland/federal-government-gives-go-ahead-for-massive-resource-expansion-but-raises-fears-for-reef/story-fnii5v6w-1226780154435 It seems to be trying to show both sides of the issue, but "The Abbott Point dredging, which will allow development of three coal terminals, will dump 3 million cubic metres of spoil in the World Heritage Area of the Great Barrier Reef." and
"The Prime Minister is ignoring the World Heritage Committee's warnings about the mass industrialisation of the reef and is inviting a World Heritage 'In Danger' listing,'' Senator Waters said.
"The coal to be mined from the Galilee Basin and exported through Abbot Point each year which will create more CO2 emissions a year than produced by both Denmark and Portugal combined.''

These points are so important and must not be overlooked. You can take other measures to fix your economy. You CAN'T take back destroying an endangered World Heritage area. You just can't.

[Theobromine]

I also updated the original post to include the newest Greenpeace page: http://www.greenpeace.org/australia/en/news/climate/This-terrible-plan-is-one-step-further-to-killing-our-Great-Barrier-Reef-for-good/

[Theobromine]

Here's a Brisbane Times article about some protests going on: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/conservationists-tourism-workers-fear-impact-of-abbot-point-reef-dredging-20131211-2z5kh.html#ixzz2n8yKZ2xS

[Mermaid Kelda]

Not to be a know it all or anything but I'm just confirming, is that save the reef site verified because they spelled "industrialization" incorrectly. I'll do anything I can to help, but I just want to contribute to the right cause.
In many western countries outside of America (mostly commonwealth countries I believe - certainly Australia, GB and NZ at least) "ize" words are spelt "ise" instead. Organise, realise, recognise, colonise, etc.

Loved your letter. Honestly, this makes my head hurt with how stupid it is. The tourism Australia gets from the GBR is in excess of $6 billion, and almost ALL of it stays in Australia rather than with coal mining, where much of the profits go overseas. It's a no-brainer, and yet our conservative government still can't get it right. Makes me so mad :(

[Echidna]

He's been bribed by the industry.
Same story as everywhere.

Government over here will also sign everything the industry comes up with-
dredging and drilling which results in constant tremors and earthquakes, destroying people's homes- who cares, they got their money.
I fear no number of e-mails and petitions will sway their decision, because people like that don't CARE whether the entire earth will become a blackened, poisoned wasteland with toxic air and water, devoid of life.

It's because they think they personally is the only thing in the universe that matters, and they are going to die in a few decades anyway, so live big with their moneys for a few years, destroy everything that lives, doesn't matter because THEY won't be there to suffer the consequences.

[Theobromine]

I agree with that fear, Caltuna....but it's still worth trying. I will keep trying until there's nothing left to save. We can't afford to lose the Great Barrier Reef :(

[Echidna]

Of course we must try.
I just wish we could do more than just petition :(

The reef- and the entirety of nature- doesn't belong to the industry, or any country/government.
It belongs to everyone who lives on this planet.

They simply don't have the right to muck it up!

[SeaSister]

I think it's interesting that this issue has gotten a lot of response even though no one seemed to care at all about the issue I had posted regarding the BC coastline and the plans for massive crude oil exports from Alberta... maybe people just find tropical reefs far more important than a few orcas and kelp forests?

Anyways, I did send in an email for this as well. The oceans are all connected, so there's no one part that's more important to save than any other part, imho.

[Theobromine]

Argh, SeaSister, I thought I had replied to you last night but apparently it didn't post. I agree that they're all important.

Here's the petition you can sign from the Australian Marine Conservation Society/Fight For the Reef: http://www.marineconservation.org.au/petitions.php/8/join-the-fight-for-the-reef

[Theobromine]

This may only be effective for people within Australia, but it's still worth a try if you can call them on Skype:

Only one thing now stands in the way of 3 million square metres of dredge spoil being dumped in the Reef's World Heritage Waters off Abbot Point.

The destructive dumping can't go ahead without a special permit from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA).
Their mission is clear: "Our fundamental obligation is to protect the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the World Heritage Area."
Your immediate action is vital. Call GBRMPA today demanding it does it's job, rejects the permit and protects the Reef.
Calling the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Office
Ph: +617 4750 0700
http://fightforthereef.org.au/gbrmpa/

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Signed and shared.

[SeaGlass Siren]

I think Canada and Britain as well

[SeaGlass Siren]

Wow late night phone posting is never fun.. That was in response to the spelling and usage of "ise" or "ize"