Wow!

I'm having one of those days that reminds me that all the work, frustrations, and tears that sometimes come with ocean conservation are well worth the effort. An anonymous package was delivered to our offices this morning with the coral necklace that you can see at the top of the post. The following letter was included:

February 1, 2008

Dear Mr. MacPherson

I consider myself an environmentalist, but I am embarrassed to admit that the enclosed coral jewelry is from my personal collection. Because of the variety and abundance of coral jewelry on the market, I've been operating under the apparently incorrect assumption that coral jewelry was plentiful and unthreatened. And since coral is alive and grows, I thought it was a sustainable resource like lumber. Again, I've been operating under a false understanding.

You can imagine my surprise after reading your blog story about threatened Red Coral and the Too Precious to Wear campaign. I was disgusted that I was proudly and ignorantly walking around as a billboard for environmental destruction.

I'm sending you my coral jewelry as I can no longer wear it with a good conscience. Maybe it can become a symbol for others to make better choices than I have. At the very least, I hope it's a reminder that you're doing important work.

Thank you!
An Anonymous Though Appreciative Reader

This is the sort of thing that gives you the recharge you need for a full year of conservation work. I swear the necklace weighs about half a pound! Whether it's genuine red coral (Corallium) or another coral species dyed to that chili pepper red color, it's a remarkable statement for someone to make. And I too hope it inspires others to make more informed choices.

Thanks and good on you, Anonymous!