DESIGNERS AND OCEAN ACTIVISTS PARTNER WITH SEAWEB TO RAISE AWARNESS OF CORAL CONSERVATION
(NEW YORK, N.Y. — October 30, 2009)—SeaWeb today announced that designers Temple St. Clair Carr, CEO and creative director of Temple St. Clair Fine Jewelry, and Simon Cardwell of Cheeky Monkey Jewelry along with environmental activist Céline Cousteau have joined its Too Precious To Wear campaign in an effort to raise awareness about the threats facing corals and reefs and to gain greater protection for precious corals worldwide.
Corals are among the most important animals in the sea, yet they face threats from climate change, ocean acidification, destructive fishing and overfishing, in particular for use as jewelry and home décor and in aquariums.
“We are proud to have these three respected leaders in their fields join the Too Precious To Wear campaign,” said Dawn M. Martin, president of SeaWeb, who will speak at the upcoming conference “Coral: Symbol, Substance and Significance” October 30 and 31 in New York. “Their commitment serves as an important message to the design industry and consumers alike that corals are living animals, not just colorful stones. We look forward to engaging these important voices to highlight the alternatives that are available to real coral.”
Red and pink corals are some of the most valuable of all precious coral species, but they are among the least protected. The United States is the world’s largest documented consumer of precious red and pink corals (also known as Corallium), importing 26 million pieces between 2001 and 2006. Too Precious to Wear is calling for international trade protection for red and pink coral under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species’ (CITES) next meeting in March 2010. Consumers can support this and other protections for corals by signing Too Precious to Wear’s pledge.
“Partnering with SeaWeb was an automatic fit for me and a complement to important ocean conservation efforts I have been involved with for many years,” said environmental activist and filmmaker Céline Cousteau. “Raising awareness about coral conservation is essential to ensure we have a healthy ocean, which is vital for a functioning, healthy planet.”
“In my designs, I will not use coral,” said jewelry designer Temple St. Clair. “I am an avid diver and I draw much inspiration from beauty I see in the ocean without physically taking away from the environment. I am thrilled to join other esteemed designers in acting as a coral conservation spokesperson and advocate for healthier oceans.”
Cheeky Monkey Jewelry founder Simon Cardwell said, “Using responsible materials in jewelry is an important step in protecting our Earth’s vital resources, and that includes corals. SeaWeb’s Too Precious To Wear campaign is a unique approach to attaining coral sustainability and I am proud to be a part of it.”
Corals provide people around the world with food, pharmaceuticals and economic benefits, all while serving as a buffer to protect coastlines from destruction during storms. A recent economic study showed that a single hectare of coral reef provides annual services to humans valued at US $130,000 on average, rising to as much as $1.2 million. Coral reefs also provide food, reproduction areas and safe havens from predators for 25 percent of all marine fish species.
St. Clair, Cardwell and Cousteau join other designers and jewelers who have committed to doing their part for coral conservation by leaving real corals in their natural habitats, including: Tiffany & Co., Lilly Pulitzer, Pottery Barn, Lela Rose, Sophie Buhai and Lisa Mayock of Vena Cava, Melissa Joy Manning, Monique Péan, Leber Jeweler, Kimberly McDonald, Hannah Garrison, Michael Aram and Chantecaille.
SeaWeb, founded in 1996 to raise awareness of the growing threats to the ocean and its living resources, is a communications-based nonprofit organization that utilizes social marketing techniques to advance ocean conservation. By increasing public awareness, advancing science-based solutions and mobilizing decision makers around ocean conservation, SeaWeb has brought together multiple, diverse and powerful voices for a healthy ocean. www.seaweb.org
