9 Ways You Can Be an Ocean Hero Mum
The ocean is one of our most precious resources, and if you live near it, chances are you try to visit it as often as you can. So how can you thank the ocean for all the awesome opportunities it offers?
Here are nine tips for paying it forward and helping to keep the ocean clean.
1. Going Seafood? Go Sustainable!
If your kids love seafood and you worry about environmental impacts, look for seafood that comes from safe, sustainable populations, and avoid overfished species, to let them recover.
photo/pcamp
2. Put Plastic On Notice
Monk seals mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, turtles get caught in six pack rings, and hundreds of fish swallow tiny pieces of plastic. Cutting non-biodegradable items out of your life makes sense, and teaches your kids more about recycling.
3. Support Some Organizations!
Find someone in your local community doing their best to take care of the beach and donate to their organization or volunteer at their events. If you can’t find a local organization, look into a national one, or start one yourself and bring the kids along.
4. A Bag a Beach Day
If you’re heading to the beach, take one small bag with you per person. Make it a game to clean up the beach, and sort through your “treasures” to find things that can be recycled. It’s a very immediate way to pay your ocean fun forward.
5. No More Overboard Travel
If you like being out on the ocean, keep an eye on what goes overboard to prevent a problem before it starts. If you’re looking at a cruise for your next vacation, try to find the most eco-friendly option, and check on what they drop overboard ahead of time.
6. Beach Buyers Beware
While items like tortoiseshell combs and coral jewelry are incredibly beautiful, they’re also incredibly damaging to fragile coral reefs and turtle populations. Avoid these, and shark-based products, to protect marine life in danger.
7. Forget That Fertilizer
Fertilizer runoff can be massively damaging to ocean populations. The less you use, the better, and if it’s at all possible, try looking into fertilizers that won’t hurt the ocean as badly.
8. Pet Friendly CAN be Ocean Friendly
If your pet food contains seafood, find one with a lower ocean-impact. Never flush cat litter, and above all, avoid adding wild-caught saltwater fish to your aquarium or releasing any aquarium fish into the ocean.
9. Swap That Sunscreen
Everyone knows how important sunscreen is, but not everyone knows that sunscreen can actually do serious damage to the ocean. Before you cover your kids up, find a sea-safe sunscreen—they’ll thank you, someday!
Now that you know how to be an Ocean Hero Mum, it’s time to reward yourself with a trip to Parasail Destin, and enjoy all the fruits of your labor! Remember, if you take care of the ocean, the ocean will take care of you.
Author: Nicky
