GUIDE TO MARINE PLASTIC POLLUTION

Click HERE to check out this awesome guide to Marine Plastic Pollution that was sent to us by an aspiring Ocean Warrior named Haley. After learning about about Ocean Pollution at summer camp she did some research and offered us another list of solutions. Thanks so much Haley!

Use Safe Sunscreen

Avoid chemical sunscreens that use oxybenzone, avobenzone, octisalate, octocrylene, homosalate and octinoxate. These ingredients are not reef-safe, which is why Hawaii is preparing to ban them.
Some reef-friendly Mineral-based sunscreens are Raw Elements sunscreen, Badger Balm, EltraMD, Smart Stuff sunscreen, and Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen to get you started on your search. A good way to check if it's safe is if it's zinc oxide or titanium dioxide-based.

Refuse The Plastic Straw

Plastic straws are one of the most common things found at a beach cleanup and floating in the Ocean. It's better to skip the straw than let it wind up in the Pacific Garbage Patch.
But if you think you can't kick it, here are some straw alternatives:

• (Washable) Steel straws
• Biodegradable Paper straws
• Bamboo Straws (Reusable!)
• Cold Tumbler Straws (Are they passé? Who's to say?)

Make sure Your Fish Dinner is sustainable

Is that tilapia on your plate from a safe, sustainable fishing practice? Many fish populations have suffered from overfishing, upsetting the balance of the Ocean ecosystem.
Monterey Bay Aquarium has printable Seafood Watch Guides that you can find here.
Their Europe Seafood Guide is coming soon, too!

Ditch the single-use Plastic Bottle & Go steady with a Reusable one

 Funny, people used to say these metal water bottles were bad. But then again, people used to think perms were cool.
It's hard not to see a S'well or Nathan water bottle tucked into backpack side pockets or lined up on store shelves nowadays. With good reason! They keep your hot drinks scalding for hours (my burnt tongue is proof) and your icy drinks just so for longer. 
Get lost in S'well's bottle designs page or, to get some variety, check out Nathan Sports varieties.

take only pictures, Leave only footprints

Whether it originated from the Baltimore Grotto spelunking group or not, National Parks and the Scouts have taken it as their own. "An oldie but a goodie," as they say. This is a good one to tell your kids. Sure, small kids don't understand the importance of preserving the integrity of an ecosystem but this phrase can be simplified for them. Ask them how they would like it if a stranger came into their room, left a bunch of trash and took their favorite toy away. They probably won't be okay with that. And that's how the Ocean feels when someone leaves litter and takes its seashells away (or that's how the mermaid feels, or the Kraken, you can be creative here). Great lesson for kids.
For adults, as well, who somehow still haven't learned this.