Once upon a time it was called illegal waste disposal when people threw old tires, blocks of concrete or other not-anymore-used things into the sea. Today, something like this is declared as measure to save coastlines and increase biodiversity.

“Bioblocks” for example – not at all green, as the name might suggest – are big blocks of grey concrete with holes and channels. This new idea of an Irish team is to protect the Irish coastline, but can well be adopted for other places.

From grey to green

The blocks shall prevent erosion as well as weaken smashing waves and at the same time provide habitat to colonizing sea animals, thereby even increasing the shore’s biodiversity.

Another “invention”: Columns of concrete to plant corals on it. After a tsunami, they where almost all gone. Now humans try to bring them back – coral by coral set upon that concrete columns. Sounds weird? Have a look youself:

What do you think: Great idea or won’t work anyway? Do you have any experiences with such measures around your place?