It’s summertime! Time to kick back, go to the beach, enjoy the sun and our ocean! We are presenting the do’s (and don’ts!) to pollute the environment, from your preferred vacation spots. From sunbathing to beach parties, check our short list of summer don’ts.
Buy a bottle of water at the beach
In summertime, it is necessary to hydrate and cool off and it’s easy to indulge and buy a bottle of water without thinking about the planet… You may not know but plastic bottles are THE touchy subject this summer at Surfrider! They represent a health and environmental scourge. Since the « Reset Your Habits » campaign launch, Surfrider wishes to encourage citizens, industrials and policy makers to choose sustainable alternatives. Let’s start by using a water canteen!
Drop a beer bottle or soda can after a beach party
Summer means drinks on the beach, it’s a fact! In the evening after a surf session, an afternoon sunbathing, or even after a day at work, a pick-nick on the beach is the best way to end the day. Some people (maybe even you?) litter and leave their leftovers, containers just to bother those who will come after. If you are fed up of being a loser, don’t litter! You can easily find your way to the yellow or green trashcans… And let’s not forget, the best waste is the one we don’t produce!
Throw away a cigarette butt because it’s cool!
On the street, out the car window or at the mountains, tossing a cigarette butt has become a common gesture. How has littering in the nature become so normal, to the point where you don’t even dare making a comment to your sister or best friend? In 2016, 64 462 cigarette butts were collected in Europe with the Surfrider Ocean Initiatives. Whether littered on the beach or in town, cigarette butts always end up like other wastes in the ocean. In town, cigarette butts tossed on sidewalks or on the roads for instance, end up in the sewer and can go through water treatment zones and end their journey in the ocean. It might be time to switch to another weakness knowing that a cigarette butt can pollute up to 500L of water and take 12 year to deteriorate.
Use plastic bags because it’s convenient!
It is not necessary to ask for a plastic bag for a chocolate bar, a bottle of orange juice and a loaf of bread. Nobody told you? It’s THE summer fashion faux pas, among others! Not only is a plastic bag very ugly but it is also extremely harmful to the environment. It is used in average for 20 minutes and ends up in the trash or even worse, in the nature. Once in the environment, it has severe consequences on the ecosystem, animals and even on us. With deterioration period of over 100 years, plastic bags fragment and can be consumed by marine species and end up in our plates due to the food chain…Now when grocery shopping instead of choosing convenience let’s choose the tote bag!
Smearing monoï oil for a nice tan
Laying on your towel, nobody around, but not too far from the lifeguards and smear monoï oil, that is the worst thing to do for your skin: no protection at all. Monoï oil is best way to win a lobster contest. The magnifying glass effect can increase risks for our skin and chances of getting sunburn. So when on the beach, let’s lay under an umbrella, wear a hat and/or a t-shirt and put on some sunscreen before going in the water. However choose wisely. All sunscreens are not good for the skin nor the environment. In fact some ingredients can be harmful to coral reefs. When shopping, make sure to check the ingredients in your sunscreen!
You know all the mistakes to avoid! Have a great summer holliday!
Traduction : Marianne Biron
