What you can do at home to help save the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef for many of us may seem far away, but the actions we take within our own homes to lead a life of LESS waste can help protect the reef and preserve MORE ocean life...

In December 2013 the Australian Government approved a proposal for dredging in our own backyard the Great Barrier Reef of 3 million cubic metres of sludge – which will be dumped in the reef's waters – for the development of three coal export terminals at Abbot Point positioning it to become one of the largest coal ports in the world.

1 Million Women, along with an overwhelming amount of Australians were shocked and saddened by this approval that threatens the future of our national treasure, and we let our voices be heard.

The controversy around this decision to industrialise the Reef has seen The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority thankfully hit the pause button on the development and delay the decision on whether to allow the permit for dumping the dredge spoil into the Reef’s waters.

They have extended the time for making a decision until 31 January 2014. It's a temporary relief, but the fight is not over yet and we need to remain vocal and committed to act for the future of our Reef. Also, we need to make sure we are making decisions in our own homes that will help preserve the future of the Reef right now!

No matter how far away you might be, here are some things you can do at home to help. Less waste and pollution will equal more ocean life.

What you can do in your home

1. Recycle what you can - for example, plastics, paper, batteries and mobile phones
2. Buy food and products with minimal or no packaging, or packaging that can be recycled
3. Set up a worm farm and use the castings to fertilise your garden
4. Compost fruit and vegetable scraps, shredded paper, grass clippings, leaves and cuttings (except noxious weeds and diseased cuttings), vacuum cleaner dust, used vegetable oil, tea leaves and bags, coffee grounds and egg shells
5. Wash your car on the lawn, not on the driveway or road, to minimise detergent runoff into drains
6. Operate your dishwasher and washing machine only when you have a full load
7. Use environmentally-friendly cleaners and fertilisers
8. Keep gutters, sinks and drains free of chemicals and rubbish as what washes down sinks and drains could end up on the Reef
9. Minimise water runoff by planting trees, garden beds and ground cover around your home
10. Use re-useable shopping bags rather than plastic bags
11. Participate in community clean-up days
12. Buy organic produce - Organic produce is grown without many of the agricultural chemicals that end up in rivers and oceans
13. Buy fish that are being caught sustainably - Many species of fish are being over fished, and their populations are dropping. Buy fish species that are not being over fished
14. Share these messages and your knowledge about the Great Barrier Reef with others
15. Join/support an organisation working to protect the reef

As we mentioned in our last post the Reef is already seriously in decline having lost half it's coral cover over the past 30 years, which is unthinkable for the ocean life and a great loss of habitat. For young people like me, it's scary to think the coral that's left could disappear in the next 30.

We can all take action to protect the Reef right now from our own homes, and also keep the pressure on to stop the Reef's industrial expansion from going ahead.

Remember to check out Greenpeace's 'Save The Reef' campaign and sign their petition by clicking here.

Other articles you might be interested in…

• Don’t dump on our Reef: A plea from far away
• Our Great Barrier Reef Is Dying From Human Related Causes
• Saving the Reef from miles away- a guest post by Laura Wells

What else can you do?

Follow Bronte on Twitter: @brontehogarth

*Tips from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority