We all have those ideas in our heads about how we want this year to be different from the last. The emphasis of green (or in our case, “blue”) living is all around us, but sometimes it’s easy to feel over-burdened with all of the awesome ways we can take care of the world’s oceans. How does LMC reach this goal of ocean conservation each and every day? We’ve broken it down in five easy steps for you. Read on:
Reduce, re-use and recycle
First, reducing the amount of plastic bottles, paper bags, and other daily items helps lower production costs and energy. Why not re-use cloth bags or re-fillable water bottles instead of one-use items? Rather than throwing away paper, plastic, glass, or metals, recycle them. These all help reduce the amount of waste produced, which means fewer opportunities for debris to enter into the ocean!
Get outside
With the great weather South Florida has been getting, we’ve found that walking or biking is a fun and simple way to “go blue!” When it’s possible to walk or bike somewhere, you’ll be using less gasoline and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the air. Because the atmosphere and the ocean constantly exchange gases and particles, driving less will help keep the ocean cleaner and remain at its regular temperature and acidity – which means sea turtles will be pretty happy, too.
Buy locally
Much like using your car less, buying locally is a great way to support your local economy. It helps cut back on the cost and amount of gas needed to ship products across the country. Local food is more nutritious, too – because the amount of time between production and your table is smaller, more nutrients remain in the food by the time you eat it! Plus, local farmers often use pesticides and other harmful chemicals less, helping to decrease the amount of runoff into rivers that lead to the ocean.
Use less water
It might seem daunting at first, but trust us, it’s pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Instead of letting the tap run while you lather up your hands or wash dishes, turn on the water when you’re ready to rinse. When it’s possible, let rain water your lawn instead of a hose. Take showers instead of baths. Even cutting back two minutes of your shower time will save five gallons of water.
Clean up!
If you’re out and about and spot a piece of trash on the ground, why not pick it up and throw it away in the nearest trash or recycling receptacle? You can also attend our free monthly beach clean-ups or even have your own! For more information about hosting a beach cleanup, please contact Tommy Cutt at [email protected].
Written by Hannah Deadman