World
Earth Week
The
22 April marked the start of World Earth Week with this year's
theme " Save the Coral Reef."
As
part of its ongoing environmental educational awareness efforts
REAP, in partnership with the International Coral Reef Alliance,
has produced colourful posters and TV messages about the life
beneath the sea among the coral reef.
As
small islands, our coral reefs are essential to the Cook Islands
survival - not just as a traditional food source but also as
protection from high seas and cyclones.
Dynamited,
poisoned, quarried and sold, coral reefs around the world and
the creatures that live within them are systematically being
destroyed. This destruction of our coral reefs are also destroying
new cures for cancer and other major diseases along with being
a potential future food supply for people throughout the world.
The
sustainability of the coral reef is a key element in the sustainability
of mankind.
REAP
would like to give special thanks to Mobil Oil, Cook Island
Divers and UNESCO Small Islands Voice for sponsoring this effort
as part of REAP's Project AWARE - Aquatic World Awareness, Responsibility
and Education.
Cook
Islands News, 24 April 2003
Cook Islands Herald, 23 April 2003
