Living in beautiful coastal New England means many of us will be spending time at the beach in the coming months. Here’s how you can be green while having fun in the sun!
✅ Bring a refillable water bottle and avoid plastic straws
✅ Pack snacks in paper rather than plastic bags, which can easily blow into the water and become a tangling hazard for ocean creatures.
✅ Even though you’re outdoors, don’t smoke on the beach. Cigarette butts are the most common item picked up during beach clean ups, and their filters contain plastic which is not biodegradable.
✅ Wear sunscreen made with minerals like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, rather than chemical sunscreen. When you go swimming the oxybenzone contained in chemical sunscreens ends up in the ocean where it can harm marine life.
✅ Dispose of your trash properly. Anything left on the beach ends up in the ocean. Litter can be mistaken for food by marine life.
✅ Practice the rule of ”leave no trace” by collecting all your belongings before you leave. Fill in any holes you may have dug on the beach. They can be an obstacle to animals like baby sea turtles who may get trapped.
✅ Respect wildlife: stay away from nesting birds and don’t pick up live sea creatures like crabs or starfish.
✅ Pay attention to posted signs and don’t walk or climb on dunes where forbidden.
✅ If you are snorkeling or diving, be careful not to disturb coral. Corals are already at risk from pollution and warming seas. They are fragile, living animals and touching can damage or kill them.
✅ When boating, tie off only at designated mooring spots and anchor in areas with a sandy bottom so you don’t damage seagrass or other plants.
