In our society where convenience is king future generations are going to look back at our fast fix obsessed society and wonder how it all went so wrong.
The good news? We have compiled a no none-sense list that shows everyone how they can be a better earth citizen for the ocean.
Wet wipes
Yes they are convenient that’s why people love them they save us from the mountainous task of having to use normal cloths but these time savers are wreaking havoc in the oceans.
Flushable? Not really, just because wet wipes are technically ‘disposable’ doesn’t mean they magically disintegrate into thin air; instead, they are simply fobbed off somewhere else, out of sight, out of mind where they get to work.
Most contain plastic fibers that are not biodegradable. When the wipes make their way into the ocean, they get ingested by sea creatures, such as turtles, who mistake them for jellyfish and eventually die. (The same thing happens with plastic bags.
Fortunately, the solution for personal wipes is simple.
Ditch the disposables. Make your own wet wipes from pieces of flannel cloth or baby washcloths. Mix up an easy cleansing liquid: 4 cups boiled and cooled water, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap, and a few drops essential oil, if desired. Store in a spritz bottle in the bathroom for convenient use.
Alternatively, stack the cloths in a baby wipe warmer, douse in the above liquid, and keep close to the toilet or change table.
Or, just use a bar of soap and a regular washcloth.
Check out this video below of the evolution of baby wipes in the ocean.
Sunscreen
Sunscreen can potentially damage coral. Statistics state that “between 6,000 and 14,000 tons of sunscreen washes off into our coral reefs every year, potentially accelerating the process of coral bleaching.”
The ingredient potentially responsible, oxybenzone, which can damage coral DNA damage. This prevents coral in its larval stage from reaching adulthood. Oxybenzone traps it in its own skeleton, making it unable to float within currents for distribution. Oxybenzone is also linked to coral bleaching, wherein corals expel the colorful algae living inside them. This leaves the bleached-looking exoskeleton behind and ultimately leads to coral-reef death.
This marine damage, caused by seemingly harmless sunscreen, inspired the creation of a number of less-damaging products. And although it’s hard to known exactly what “reef-safe” means, any small effort to reduce the amount of oxybenzone pollution in our waters could mean.