During the summer of 2015, current senior Tal Tenengauzer took his first certification course to become a scuba diver in Cozumel, Mexico. Four years later, while Tenengauzer was obtaining a rescue diver certification, he witnessed the profound toll that global warming, pollution, and potent disease took on the coral reefs of the island. He recalls observing the coral reef suffer: “It was really kind of deteriorating before my eyes.” During his time in Cozumel, Tenengauzer learned about coral reef conservation under the guidance of marine biologist Dr. German Mendez. Along with a team of other divers, he looked for dislodged or detached pieces of coral and replanted them. 

Throughout his work with coral reefs, Tenengauzer gained invaluable insight into the vast ecosystems that lie within the ocean. However, he points out that the general population has very limited knowledge about these reefs. Tenengauzer explains that “when [people] see a coral reef, they don't know that that's an animal…It doesn't look like it's moving. It doesn't look like it's  interacting with the environment, so I think one of the most important ways of getting people to care more is to get them to understand what exactly it is they’re looking at.” Through his work with Dr. Mendez and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), a certification program for recreational diving, Tenengauzer seeks to shed light on the importance of preserving ecosystems within the ocean and how they are directly affected by pollution and climate change. 

In order to make this information more accessible, Tenengauzer wants PADI to dedicate a section of its diving course to education about coral reefs. He says that his project has highlighted the importance of “being able to explain things simply.” In order for people to take care of our oceans, they must be driven by a sense of responsibility, and the way to instill these sentiments is through education. 

Dr. Mendez, who guided Tenengauzer’s project, is no stranger to the inner workings of the coral reefs in Cozumel. He, too, can attest to the value of educating tourists about coral reef preservation; the benefits are unquestionable. However, even during the coronavirus pandemic, tourism continues to be one of Mexico’s most profitable industries, and, as a result, coral reefs continue to endure poor conditions. “Only one percent of all the sea bottom has coral reefs,” says Dr. Mendez. 50% of the world’s coral reefs were lost in the last 30 years. 

Dr. Michelle Blum, Upper and Middle School science teacher, and advisor to the Marine Conversation Club at Riverdale, shares Dr. Mendez’s concern. While describing our relationship as humans to our oceans, she often uses a quote from marine biologist Sylvia Earle, a guest speaker and recipient of Riverdale’s Jolli Humanitarian Award in 2019: “No blue, no green.” In other words, our oceans and the organisms within them do not exist in isolation. A failure to protect our oceans will also impact the “green,” or land, which directly impacts us. 

This sense of responsibility seems to be a recurring theme within the topic of marine conservation. As Dr. Blum affirms, “we have done so much damage to the oceans, either willingly or unwillingly, through pollution... [There is] just a lack of understanding about sustainability.” Fortunately, Dr. Blum can attest to the Riverdale community’s increased conscientiousness regarding the effects of pollution and climate change on our ecosystems. The United States is also heading in the right direction: President Biden recently rejoined the Paris Climate Accord, an agreement that establishes a framework for countries to more effectively combat the effects of climate change. 

The influence of youth activists in sustainability is undeniable, and through his work with PADI, Tenengauzer continues to shed light on the compromised state of our oceans and the coral reefs in them. While most members of the Riverdale community are not aspiring marine conservationists, we all inhabit the same planet. We are equally responsible for restoring it, and the healing that we need to see starts with us.   

If you would like to know more about Dr. Mendez’s work, additional sources can be found at ccrrp.org, the coral reef restoration program in Cozumel. You can visit padi.com/conservation to learn more about PADI’s diving certification courses.