Healthy coral reefs are one of the most valuable ecosystems on Earth. They are now facing serious threats from a number of sources, including climate change, unsustainable fishing, land-based pollution, coastal development, disease, and invasive species.  According to a 2017 research from the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy of University of Sassari, UV filters (sunscreen chemicals that absorb/reflect UV radiation), parabens (preservative), triclosan (preservative), and microbeads (microplastics), are considered as top emerging environmental contaminants, destructive to the ecosystems and human health. The domino effect of compound contamination affects the aquatic environment and with the increasingly vast amounts of pollutants, they remain environmentally persistent, bioactive, and potentially able to bioaccumulate.

Extracted from National Ocean Service:

• Chemicals in some sunscreens that can harm marine life include: Oxybenzone, Benzophenone-1, Benzophenone-8, OD-PABA, 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor, 3-Benzylidene camphor, nano-Titanium dioxide, nano-Zinc oxide, Octinoxate, Octocrylene

• How sunscreen chemicals can affect marine life:
• Green Algae: Can impair growth and photosynthesis.
• Coral: Accumulates in tissues. Can induce bleaching, damage DNA, deform young, and even kill.
• Mussels: Can induce defects in young.
• Sea Urchins: Can damage immune and reproductive systems, and deform young.
• Fish: Can decrease fertility and reproduction, and cause female characteristics in male fish.
• Dolphins: Can accumulate in tissue and be transferred to young.

While it is rare that a single choice of ours can have a massive impact on the climate crisis, supporting a plant-based lifestyle and choosing natural UV protection skincare products can help significantly in mitigating environmental degradation and the depletion of Earth's natural resources.