Looking for a splash of hope? This is how a YouTube channel is saving our coral reefs with a video.
If you’re looking for a splash of hope or maybe just an out-of-this-world feel-good moment, then stop swimming and instead sink into this YouTube video that’s announced the world’s largest coral reef restoration program, Hope Reef.
Announced early May, leading cat food brand Dine, has uncovered their latest project working on the world’s largest coral restoration program which aims to restore more than 185,000 square meters of coral reefs around the world by 2029. Estimated to roughly be the size of 148 Olympic swimming pools.
Visible from Google Earth, the coral reef has regrown to spell the word ‘HOPE’ off the coast of Sulawesi, Indonesia. All to drive awareness, this symbol of hope is to show how positive change can happen within our lifetime.
Beginning two years ago, the restoration has since seen a coral increase from five to 55 per cent. On top of this, fish abundance has increased and there has even been a return of sharks and turtles to the region.
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- Hope Reef underwater. Dine. Image supplied.
So how can you help? All you need to do is sit back, relax and watch the Dine Hope Reef story on YouTube. That’s it. With every view of the YouTube video, the advertising money generated is then invested into a coral reef restoration campaign partner, The Nature Conservancy. From here 100 per cent of the funds will then be monetised for sustainability efforts.
All-in-all, by you watching a YouTube video, you’ll help raise money for reef restoration. It’s that simple.
Deemed as a simple yet effective solution, Hope Reef uses innovative Reef Star technology handmade by the local community in Indonesia. The stars, each a 90-centimetre-wide star-shaped structure, are joined underwater to create a web that covers the seabed to provide a stable base for coral fragments to regrow.
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- Indonesian Community. Dine, Hope Reef. Image supplied.
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- Indonesian Community. Dine, Hope Reef. Image supplied
Professor David Smith, chief marine scientist at Dine’s parent company, Mars Incorporated said: “We’re thrilled to unveil Hope Reef and show that there really is hope for our oceans. Our efforts around the world to restore and regenerate these precious ecosystems are showing exciting results and having a positive impact on local communities, which we’re delighted to see.”
Over the past 10 years, Dine’s parent company Mars Incorporated has invested more than $10 million in research, restoration and community engagement as part of their coral reef program. On top of this, they’ve also invested $1 billion to drive action for the protection and restoration of the planet through their Sustainable In A Generation Plan.
“We hope our efforts inspire others to join us so we can all play our part in helping to prevent the extinction of our coral reefs”, says Professor Smith.
Leading scientists estimate that if the world does nothing, 90 per cent of the world’s tropical reefs will be gone by 2043, impacting 500 million people who depend on them for food, income and coastal protection. Dine and Hope Reef hope to play the role of a catalyst, helping to ensure the future of coral reefs and fish.
A first of its kind, to play a role in reef restoration, simply watch and share the YouTube video, The Film That Grows Coral, where every video view’s advertising revenue is then donated to The Nature Conservancy to support its reef restoration initiatives.
