World Reef Day 2020 Raised Awareness And Funding For Critical Organizations’ Efforts
Second Annual World Reef Day Celebrated a Five Day Speaker Series and Fundraising for Reef & Ocean Conservation Organizations Through 1% For The Planet
December 12, 2020 – The 2nd annual World Reef Day celebrated this past June took place virtually over five days with inspiring conversations and activations featuring some of the world’s most influential in sustainability and ocean conservation.
Founded by reef-safe sunscreen industry pioneer Raw Elements USA in 2019, World Reef Day is a recurring annual calendar day to highlight the critical state of our coral reefs and activate change in individuals, companies and government officials alike.
This year in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic the World Reef Day celebration was hosted as a virtual ‘Safer At Home’ experience across Instagram TV. Impactful conversations were hosted by Raw Elements USA’s founder with the likes of Hawaii Senator Mike Gabbard, 1% For The Planet CEO Kate Williams and Oceanic Global Program Director Cassia Patel, just to name a few. Intersectional Environmentalism served as a guiding theme in this years conversations. Live ocean experiences were broadcast by world- renowned Marine Biologist Ocean Ramsey, Surf Rider Oahu Chapter, Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, Coral Gardeners & Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea.
“Pivoting the World Reef Day campaign to a virtual experience due to quarantine really allowed us the ability to slow it down, focus and learn”, said Brian Guadagno, Raw Elements USA Founder. ‘We learned how our oceans have responded positively to humans pulling back from activity and how important social justice is to environmentalism. We also learned so much from the incredible people who broadcasted their knowledge and showcased their work. I think we all can take inspiration as how to walk on this planet as a more mindful human through this campaign. I know I sure have and we were even able to raise some funding for the groups helping us to do just that.”
The goal for the campaign was to raise awareness and support funding for 2020’s beneficiary organizations while educating the public on how to get involved and help. The experiences also provided a behind-the-scenes look into the work being done by each of these organizations including a coral cultivation with the Coral Gardeners team on the island of Mo'orea; sustaining cultural resources with Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea; reducing single use plastics with Surfrider Foundation Oahu; and an up close look at the microscopic plastics in our sand at Waimanalo Beach with Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii.
Many people tuned in from their homes for the experience. The total social media impressions of the virtual campaign touched 2.9 million and live impressions hit 135,000. $7,842.60 in total funding was raised with $1,960.65 being donated to each beneficiary to support their critical work. Raw Elements USA donated $6,782.60 to the beneficiaries through the 1% For The Planet network which accelerates smart environmental giving.
From beach cleanups, government activism and youth education to cutting-edge research and technology, World Reef Day is honored to highlight the efforts of its four beneficiaries.
Coral Gardeners is an NGO based on the island of Mo'orea, French Polynesia, taking action to solve the problems coral reefs are facing and getting the whole world to join them.
Mālama Pūpūkea-Waimea is working to replenish and sustain the natural and cultural resources of the Pūpūkea and Waimea Marine Life Conservation District for present and future generations through active community stewardship, education, and partnerships.
The mission of Surfrider Foundation is to protect our ocean, beaches and waves. The Oahu chapter was instrumental in the passage of the plastic bag ban as well as Bill 40, the most comprehensive plastic ban in the nation.
Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii, a Hawaii-based grassroots 501c3 nonprofit organization, is on a mission of inspiring local communities to care for their coastlines through large-scale beach cleanups, educating students, and offering waste diversion services for events on Oʻahu.
For more information on World Reef Day, please visit www.WorldReefDay.org. For more information on donations and fundraising please email contact@rawelementsusa.
on social media and tag @RawElementsUSA.
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About World Reef Day
World Reef Day, June 1, is a call to action for consumers, businesses, and organizations to reflect on the delicate ecosystem of our ocean’s coral reefs. The day brings together the general public and opinion leaders to create active change through education and engagement.
About Raw Elements
Raw Elements USA® is a certified-natural sunscreen company and 1% For The Planet member that has pioneered the reef-conscious movement with their non-nano zinc oxide-based sunscreens. Raw Elements founded World Reef Day in support of its focus on sustainability, responsibility, and education.
Contact:
John Lee jl@rawelementsusa.com