9 Ways to Be More Ocean-Friendly This Summer

Reduce your energy use

The world’s coral reefs are in critical condition, having recently suffered their largest ever mass bleaching event. Beyond supporting around 25% of our marine life, reefs act as barriers that protect our shorelines. By filtering toxins and supporting carbon sinks they help balance the health of our planet generally. If we aren’t careful, reefs could completely vanish in our lifetime.

Climate change is the leading threat, according to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. When coral becomes stressed due to environmental problems like warming ocean temperatures, they expel the colorful algae living in their tissues, causing them to sicken and starve.

While climate change must be addressed on a global scale, each of us plays a part. Reducing our energy use at home and opting for clean energy wherever possible is one way to support our vital coral ecosystems.

Participate in Plastic-Free July

You’ve likely heard the statistic that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050, or seen photos of plastic trash choking marine wildlife. To avoid these situations, it’s crucial that we collectively rely less on single-use products—especially plastics that don’t break down and aren’t easily recycled.

You won’t find any single-use plastics in our store. To try Plastic-Free July, head to our shop for all your essential reusables. Not sure where to start? We’ve got a blog for that!

Use reef-safe sunscreen

Personal products like sunscreen have an impact on the wellbeing of reefs and other ocean life, whether we’re swimming or showering it off into our water systems. Even if you live nowhere near the sea, it’s best to choose reef-safe sun lotion formulated with zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Check the ingredients list and especially avoid oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Even if you live nowhere near the sea, it’s best to choose reef-safe sun lotion

Not only are our Utu sunscreen products formulated to be ocean-friendly, they also come in refillable and recyclable packaging. The ultimate outdoor ally!

Join a beach cleanup

Beach cleanups are best done socially! Consider joining a local cleanup event or starting one with your friends and family. Generally, always leave the beach cleaner than you found it, even if that just means bringing along a bag for trash on your daily beach walk.

Leave some shells on the beach

Collecting seashells is an age-old pastime at the beach, but scientists warn that the decline in shells from tourism poses a threat to beach habitats. For one thing, even the smallest shells help stabilize shorelines, slowing erosion. Shells also provide shelter for hermit crabs and mollusks, and resources for other organisms. Even as they dissolve, they affect the pH of the water, so it’s best to leave them where they are.

Choose conscious seafood

Overfishing and other related hazards have become an enormous problem for marine ecosystems. We know a number of factors can go into your decisions about whether (and which) seafoods to eat. But generally, if you eat seafood, it’s a good idea to opt for choices like farmed bivalves, or fish from carefully managed fisheries, or species that are locally abundant or invasive. Check sites like Seafood Watch for specific recommendations on what to eat or avoid in your area.

Practice eco-tourism

In many places, tourists produce double the trash per day that locals do. When we travel, we’re outside of our rhythms and away from many of the things we rely on for cooking, convenience, and fun. (Think those inflatable ocean toys or cheap plastic flip flops that only last a few days.) As a result, we tend to overconsume, eat out, forgo our ethical preferences, and use a ton of disposable products.

If you eat seafood, it’s a good idea to opt for choices like farmed bivalves, or fish from carefully managed fisheries

When traveling this summer, be sure to bring along your reusable bag, non-toxic toiletries, and other sustainable essentials. We’ve got your sustainable travel packing checklist right here.

Avoid international shipping

Overseas shipping comes at a cost to marine wildlife, not only because of the energy expenditure, but also because of the direct risks that freights pose to whales and other animals. According to the World Cetacean Alliance, tens of thousands of whales are killed or injured each year in vessel collisions. For that reason alone, it’s best to shop locally and sustainably whenever possible. At re_, we stock our shelves with the best of the best responsible, family-owned brands from right here in California, USA.

Help reduce pollution in waterways

Even if you never go near a coast, the water you use can return to the ocean via water systems like rivers and streams. Whenever possible, it’s always good to use nontoxic products, install microplastic filters and reduce plastic use, be vigilant about how you dispose of harmful chemicals, and reduce your household water use generally.

The ocean covers approximately 71% of the earth’s surface. We live on a blue planet, and it’s crucial to protect our oceans and marine wildlife if we want to flourish. June is National Ocean Month, and being at the beach in the summer is a good reminder to take an active role in protecting ocean health, starting with these methods!