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Leave no trace behind at the beach. Take with you what you bring, including trash, pick up trash you might see that isn’t yours, and don’t leave holes for people and animals to get hurt in. Did you know that marine debris, such as plastic bags and fishing gear, can entangle marine animals or be ingested by them, leading to injury or death? By cleaning up after ourselves, we can help mitigate this threat to ocean life.
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Use reef-safe sunscreen when you get in the water. If we all did that it would make such a huge difference! Traditional sunscreens contain chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate, which have been found to harm coral reefs and marine ecosystems. By opting for reef-safe sunscreen, which is free from these harmful chemicals, we can protect coral reefs and the marine life that depends on them.
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Don’t collect live shells or touch live animals like sand dollars and starfish. Leave them behind, help them back to the water with the help of an empty shell, not your hands. Marine animals like sand dollars and starfish play vital roles in their ecosystems, and disturbing them can have serious consequences. For example, handling live starfish can damage their delicate bodies and interfere with their ability to hunt for food.
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Bring back sea shells when you’ve grabbed too many, they can become part of the sand again or become a home for another creature. This is one I do a lot. I love collecting but try to just keep the special ones. While collecting shells can be a cherished pastime, it's crucial to do so responsibly. Removing live shells from the beach can disrupt local ecosystems and deprive other organisms of habitat.
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Stop buying harvested shells and coral. I’ll admit I didn’t know this was a thing and I do have some starfish that were once real and purchased from a store. Now I buy resin ones when I can. The global trade in harvested shells and coral contributes to the depletion of marine resources and the destruction of coral reefs. Choosing sustainable alternatives like resin replicas or ethically sourced materials helps reduce demand for harvested marine life and supports conservation efforts.
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Stay off the sand dunes and leave any plants there alone. Sand dunes protect the land from storms and the beach from washing away. However, they are vulnerable to damage from human activities such as trampling and vegetation removal. By staying off sand dunes and refraining from disturbing native plants, we can help preserve these vital coastal ecosystems for future generations.
These actions are just the beginning of how we can protect our oceans and the life they sustain and give. If you have any additional tips or insights, please share them below! ⬇️
And if you love the beach be sure to check out all our beachy signs and specifically our beachcombing collection!