While we are cooling off and enjoying summer time, remember that some common summer activities could contribute negative impacts to our environment, from swimming with reef-unfriendly sunscreen, long cold showers to sipping cold beverages using a plastic straw.
Here are 6 tips to be more environmentally friendly this summer. Make small changes together, and they will add up to a big impact on the environment!
#1 Bring your own cup or bottle
As the heat goes up, your body needs more water to stay healthy and hydrated. Get your own reusable bottle instead of wasting money to purchase single-use water bottles. Every time you say no to a plastic bottle, you are reducing your carbon footprint.
#2 Use reusable straws
If you have seen images of turtles with straws stuck up their noses and dead birds with bellies stuffed with plastic waste, you surely will understand why we should bring our own reusable straws, or skip plastic straws.
Plastic straws are one of the top 10 items found every year during Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. Some scientists even believe that by the year 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean (by weight).
A study published on NCBI found that when humans consume seafood, we ingest microplastics. So by polluting the environment with plastic, we are in turn doing the same to our bodies.
#3 No plastic bags
Bring your own bad to reduce the use of plastic bags and thus plastic waste. It’s one simple way to go green!
#4 Shorter shower
It might be tempting to take an extra long shower in hot summer times. However cutting shower time by just five minutes can save up to 22,000 litres every year! Having a shorter shower not only save water but also benefit your wallet.
#5 Close your shades
Keep you home by keeping your shades drawn during the day to prevent absorbing heat from the sun.
#6 Unplug
Make sure to unplug your power cords when you are not using them to save energy, especially a computer, modem, and monitor, TV, phone charger, or cable box, which all consume a considerable amount of electricity even when not in use.
#7 Use reef-safe sunscreen
Oxybenzone is a sunscreen ingredient that disrupts coral reproduction, causes coral bleaching, and damages coral DNA. The disappearance of coral reefs from our planet could lead to a domino effect of mass destruction. Many marine species will vanish after their only source of food disappears forever. It may also cause acute food crisis in coastal regions too as a number of fish begin to die off.
Use eco-friendly and reef-safe sunscreens, such as traditional zinc oxide sunscreens to help protect the ocean.
To make the most sustainable summer ever, you will need these beach essentials too!
