We have been approached by an Hawai'i 501(c)3 organization, Friends of Hanauma Bay (FOHB), (http://www.friendsofhanaumabay.org) to request our assistance in spreading the word about an initiative they are sponsoring to ban sunscreen products across Hawai'i that contain the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate.  For this important initiative we are happy to help.  You can read-up on these chemicals at the FOHB website, but the uptake is that these two chemicals, even in the most scant traces, have the direct effect of killing the oceans reefs and the surrounding reef ecosystem.  For the last two years FOHB has been advocating for legislation to ban these chemicals, and this year there is a chance for the legislation to be passed.  But passage will rely, as do most things - noise issues included - on getting the attention of legislators and letting them know that the public is behind this legislation.  FOHB asks that Quieter O'ahu pass the word through its mailing list and blog asking environmentally concerned residents to contact the legislature by sending an email to:

reps@capitol.hawaii.gov (clicking on link will launch email client)

and urge passage of this legislation.  Sample wording of your email could be:

EXAMPLE:  "I am emailing you to urge passage of SB2571 HD2 for the good of our ocean reefs and Hanauma Bay.  The November 2017 water sampling of Hanauma Bay measured the highest levels of reef-toxic oxybenzone anywhere in the State of Hawai’i, and this bill will be the single best way to fix the problem.    The effects of stressors such as oxybenzone and octinoxate on our reefs are cumulative, and are already being seen.  But we still have time to reverse the process.  Please pass this bill."