8 Eco-friendly Beach Day Tips

Knock-Knock.

Who's there?

SUMMER!!!

I love the beach. One of my biggest dreams is to actually live on one. Hopefully, it will happen someday, and if it does, I imagine it will be beautiful. 

Here on Prince Edward Island, we are surrounded by the most beautiful beaches in the world. People come from all over the world to visit our red-sand beaches and our beautiful dunes. During the summer and sometimes fall months, you can find our family at the beach at least twice a week. It relaxes us, we love being in the sun and in the company of the ocean. The kids love to play in the sand, and we all love to swim. We are the definition of Beach Bums. Growing up with an ocean-view has made me really feel "at home" when I am on the beach.

As we wait in anticipation for our first real beach day of the season I am wondering how I could be more eco-friendly at the beach this year. Drawing the Earth to Kate topic out of the dish was my motivation (of course).

During our trips to the beach we always see signs of people not appreciating the beach like they should. Last year, I cut my foot on a beer bottle, and Pumpkin pulled a "wrapper" out of the sand. I am pretty sure I have seen it all at the beach and it annoys me. Who would do that, knowing children play there? It's irresponsible and dangerous. 

So, since I LOVE me a good list, I decided to make one. 8 (because I couldn't think of 10) Eco-Friendly Beach Day Tips.

Take a look and see if there is anything you can do differently this summer. And remember, even a small  change can make a huge difference in improving our environment. 

Oh, and don’t forget your sunscreen!  9 days left until SUMMER!

Love,

Kate

8 Eco-Friendly Beach Day Tips

 

Pack trash-less snacks.
Pack your snacks in reusable containers. This will eliminate the chances of those little baggies from flying around the beach and getting buried by a gust of wind. Or pack snacks from your local farmers market, like apples, and carrots. They are healthier for you and the beach, and are compostable.

Be a good GUEST.
Stick to the beaten trail to the beach. Doing so will prevent disturbing the ecosystems of any birds or animals that call it home. Sand dunes should especially be avoided, as they naturally protect the coastline from erosion. We are visiting this very sensitive area, and we should treat it with respect.

Keep your poop in a group.  
The beach is not a giant bathroom. Not for you, your kids, or your pets! If you need to go, use the public washrooms, not the ocean! And clean up your pet's poop because (and this might shock you) nobody wants to step barefooted, in poop. 

Leave only footprints in the sand.   
Bring an empty bag for trash with you in case there isn’t one there, or plan to stow your garbage in your picnic basket. Oh, and just because you can’t see the trash, doesn’t mean it isn’t there! DON’T BURY YOUR GARBAGE or let it fly away! Make sure your spot on the beach looks the same when you leave, as when you arrived. 

Do the dirty work for them.  
Make a point, after every trip, on the walk back to your car, to pick up any trash that you see lying around. The beach will look better and if the "litterer at large" happens to see you doing this, they might realize that the beach isn’t their dump. You are taking your stuff to the garbage anyways, may as well pick up some more on the way home, right? 

Realize it starts at home.  
The things that you do at home impact the beaches. Run-off from using too much fertilizer on your garden goes into the water table, and then to the beach. Also things like motor oil, grease and pet feces should be disposed of correctly to insure they aren’t getting into the water ways and onto the beaches and into the ocean. 

Use Eco-friendly toys.  
Before you replace all the cheap cracked and un-eco-friendly sand buckets from last year, take a look through your Recycle bin at home. You will be surprised at what you might find in there! Ice cream containers and yogurt cups make perfect finishing touches to your sandcastles, and mayonnaise jars are perfect for safely storing all the beach treasures you find! Also, the best thing about this idea is that if they break, next week you will find a brand new one in your recycle bin!  
   
Go overboard!  
If you want to get REALLY eco-friendly this summer, take it to another level. Get your new swimsuit, shorts, tanks, sandals, and sunglasses from a consignment shop. Hit up yard sales for patio set umbrellas that will work perfectly for a beach shade. Find old bags that will work perfectly for all the sandy mess and wet towels. You can even find recipes on the Internet for organic sunscreen! See where I am going with this? You can make your trip to the beach as eco-friendly as you wish! 

Have fun!