Use Environmentally-Friendly Sunscreen

Although it’s important to protect your skin from the sun, the chemicals in many sunscreens can be detrimental to lakes, oceans, and the creatures that live in them! When shopping for sunscreen, look for bottles that say “Reef Friendly” or that use mineral filters instead of nanoparticles.

Don’t Use Paper Plates

Bring a reusable water bottle and try to pack snacks that don’t need plates. Paper plates and other single-use dishes not only fill up landfills but also create a lot of greenhouse gasses for just one meal.

Bike to the Beach

Reduce your carbon footprint by walking or biking to the beach if possible! If you do need to road trip to get to your local body of water, try and carpool with your friends.

Be Kind to Wildlife

Don’t touch, poke, yell at, or feed any creatures you come across at the beach. Seagulls and other wildlife aren’t supposed to eat human food. You may also inadvertently injure critters you find in the sand or water. It’s safer for everyone involved to enjoy them from a distance.

Leave It Cleaner Than You Found It

Don’t leave anything behind. Clean up your trash, fill in your holes, and topple your sandcastles. And if you come across litter while enjoying the beach, why not clean it up as well? We can all work together to keep our beaches, lakes, and oceans clean.