Sunscreen is very important!!!

Sunscreen saves you but what does it do to our environment? When we go to the beach, we pack a towel, beach chair, and sunscreen. But not everyone knows how bad sunscreen can be for the ocean. A majority of sunscreens contain these two toxic compounds oxybenzone and octinoxate. These are both found in a majority of sunblocks made in the US. Most sunblock contains the compound Oxybenzone and a few contain octinoxate. These chemicals bleach our coral reefs causing them to not produce as much oxygen. The ocean creates more of our oxygen than the trees in the Amazon RainForest, so without the corals we would have a big issue. But that’s not all that’s being damaged, the chemicals in sunscreen also directly affect our oceans’ marine life. It causes damage to the DNA of these animals. It can deform and kill young, decrease fertility and reproduction in fish, and damage immune and reproductive systems in many organisms. But so many people don’t pay attention to this problem, and people don’t realize how important coral reefs are to human life, and how the damage caused by humans also harms us. Without coral reefs, coastal fishing industries would collapse. Coral reefs support fish, and therefore also support fishing industries. Without coral reefs there are no fish, and therefore a major source of food and income would be taken away. Also, coral reefs are a tourist attraction, and bring in millions of dollars in revenue every year.