4O

How to f**k up the environment by meaning to do good #1.

The Story of Osborne Reef is yet another example of humans trying to do the right thing, & making things worse. (See Myxomatosis, Cane toads, Grey squirrels, and Japanese knotweed)

In 1972, The yanks decided to build an artificial reef, to lure more game fish to the area off the Florida coast. However, 

"The really good idea was to provide habitat for marine critters so we could double or triple marine life in the area, It just didn't work that way. I look back now and see it was a bad idea.

Ray McAllister, BARINC founder"

"A bad idea" indeed...

From Wiki:-

Originally constructed of concrete jacks, it was the subject of an ambitious expansion project utilizing old and discarded tires. The expansion ultimately failed, and the reef has come to be considered an environmental disaster—ultimately doing more harm than good in the coastal Florida waters.

So, when we were in Disney Springs 'Ron-Jon' surf shop, I bought one of these to do my bit for the environment, and as a momento. The brightest amongst you may have noticed the 4 O, not 4 0. That's 4Ocean. 

The idea being that the profits help a company called 4Ocean help the Osborne Reef Waste Tire Removal Project. These guys carry out work removing shite from the ocean in many places. Here, they remove tyres. (or tires if you're a yank) They also do other projects. See the list here

You could support them if you fancy it.

Ive added this to my other 4Ocean bracelet:-

Hopefully this lights a candle in the darkness.

There is a flicker of good news here:-

Coral crossbreeding project offers hope for Florida’s reefs

A team of scientists from the University of Miami, the Florida Aquarium and TelaCoral in Honduras is working together to transplant crossbred coral fragments onto a reef off Miami’s coastline that was devastated by coral bleaching two years ago.

Keep everything crossed 🤞