Times of the Islands Fall 2023

KELLY CURRINGTON SHUTTERSTOCK
Top: If you are a snorkeler or diver, carry a mesh bag with you to
remove harmful items, like this plastic bag, from contaminating the
beautiful and fragile coral reefs.
Above: This lovely crew takes beach clean-up seriously, enjoying a
day in the sun and making a difference at the same time.
In addition to managing
your own impact on the
beaches and ocean, there
are little things we can do to
minimize the footprints left
by others. Every time you go
to the beach, or even walk
down the street, pick up
at least 10 pieces of trash
and properly dispose of it.
If more people did this, the
beaches and streets would
stay clean. Reusable mesh
bags are a great item you
can keep with you to collect
trash and then dump it in a
receptacle.
Protecting your skin
from the intense tropical
sun is important; equally
important is protecting
coral reefs. Many of the sunscreens
on the market can
have detrimental effects on
the marine environment.
Most sunscreens contain
ingredients that are destructive to coral reefs. If your sunscreen
has Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Methylbenzylidene
camphor, Benzylidene, or Octocrylene, please do not
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