Beyond his successful acting career, Zac Efron actively promotes environmental awareness through his travel documentary series Down to Earth with Zac Efron. In the series, he explores sustainable lifestyles and highlights innovative environmental solutions around the world. One of the show’s most significant experiences took place at the Great Barrier Reef, where Efron met the Mars Sustainable Solutions team and learnt about their coral reef restoration projects.
Coral reefs support nearly one-quarter of all marine species, making them one of the world’s most important ecosystems. However, climate change, pollution, and destructive human activities continue to threaten their survival. Jos van Oostrum, Senior Director of Sustainable Solutions at Mars, warns that coral reefs could almost disappear within the next few decades unless people take immediate action. He also stresses that restoring damaged ecosystems gives future generations hope and proves that positive environmental change is possible.
Mars supports coral restoration as a long-term environmental commitment rather than a short-term marketing campaign. Through its SHEBA® HOPE Reef initiative, the company plans to restore more than 185,000 square meters of coral reef worldwide by the end of the decade.
The Mars Assisted Reef Restoration System (MARRS) drives these restoration efforts. The system uses steel, star-shaped structures called reef stars. Teams coat the structures with sand and attach live coral fragments before placing them on damaged reef areas. As the coral grows, it stabilises the seabed and gradually transforms degraded areas into thriving reef ecosystems.
The project has already achieved remarkable results. Mars teams have planted more than 500,000 corals across six restoration sites. In addition, trained local reef builders and volunteers have planted over 750,000 corals. In some locations, coral cover increased from less than 5% to approximately 70% in just two years. Fish populations also tripled during that period. These results demonstrate how long-term conservation efforts and international cooperation can successfully restore fragile marine ecosystems.
Source:https://www.mars.com/news-and-stories/articles/zac-efron-down-to-earth-coral-restoration
