DON'T TRASH WHERE YOU SPLASH! 7 easy ways you can keep your beach healthy and clean!

DON’T TRASH WHERE YOU SPLASH

There is a lot of chaos in the world right now. We are battling the pandemic of 2020, dealing with riots in America and are trying to figure out the United States presidential election results amidst it all. There’s a lot of tension! And with all of this chaos, I’ve found myself spending more and more time sitting next to Lake Michigan in silence. In contrast to the rest of the world, Lake Michigan has been calm, transparent and downright lovely… plus, it doesn’t tell me who to vote for, how to think or to back up six feet! It is my favorite place to go to get peace of mind. And I know I’m not the only one.

I don’t know what your preferred water-based activity is, but I KNOW that you clicked on this blog post for a reason. Maybe you’re a fellow mermaid looking to help keep your swimming hole clean. Perhaps you’re a scuba diver who has noticed a decrease in coral reefs over the past few years. Or, maybe you’re a beach-going petoskey stone hunter who finds more trash than treasure these days. Whatever your reason for clicking, you obviously care enough about our natural bodies of water (and our planet) to read something that most wouldn’t bother to- so thank you! Hopefully the tips I’m about to share with you will help you keep your favorite beach or swimming spot as clean, healthy and beautiful as it can be. Let’s dive in!

USE CORAL REEF FRIENDLY SUNSCREEN

Yes, yes… I know! Most of you don’t live anywhere near a coral reef. However, all water is connected somehow, so airing on the side of safety is always best! If you use sunscreen when you go to the beach or hop into the water for a swim, make sure to take a look at your sunscreen’s ingredient’s before you apply it. These ingredients can actually kill coral reefs, which isn’t any good for the fish and creatures that live there nor is it going to make your next scuba diving adventure much fun. Avoid using sunscreens that contain:

4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4MBC)
3-Benzylidene campor
Benzophenone-1
Benzophenone-8
Butylparaben
Dioxidenano-Zinc oxide
Nano-Titanium
Octinoxate (Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate)
Octocrylene
OD-PABA
Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3, BP-3)

*Information obtained from NOAA

There are many great Reef Safe (or Reef Friendly) sunscreens and suntan lotions available online. But, if you don’t like wearing sunscreen, another eco-friendly way to avoid getting a sunburn is to cover up with lightweight clothing from head to toe. Wear a hat and wear long-sleeved clothing to keep the sun from burning you to a crisp.

CLEAN THE BEACH

An obvious tip, you say. Yes. Cleaning up after yourself and others when you take a trip to the beach helps do more than simply keeping your area looking nice. Believe it or not, you may be saving a few lives by picking up that plastic bag, straw, mask, pop can or weird unidentifiable piece of suspicious plastic! I have witnessed a school of minnows trying to eat a piece of shiny cellophane plastic firsthand. Fish are curious and they love to put things in their mouth that really shouldn’t be there (hence, the reason we are able to catch them via fishing). Seagulls are also notorious for eating whatever they can put in their mouth, as are ferrets… but that’s a topic for another day! The point is, most pieces of trash are not edible and can harm or kill whatever it is that decides to eat said trash.

And hey. My mermaid videos look SO much better when they don’t have litter in the background. So please, safely pick up trash when you see it and put it where it needs to go (trash or recycling). If you don’t have gloves on hand, consider using a sturdy leaf as a barrier between your fingers and the trash when you go to pick it up. Sticks can also be used to grab certain objects, although this takes a bit of practice! Hehehe! (Check out my Instagram Story titled “Good Clean Fun” to see how I get the job done!)

RECONSIDER GLITTER

You aren’t the only one who thinks that glitter, sequins and sparkly beads are pretty! If you’re a mermaid who likes to wear glitter on your face OR likes to wear sequin tails, please be aware that wearing them in open water (natural bodies of water) can cause a lot of harm to the creatures that live there. Traditional glitter and sequins are made out of plastic (some beads are too) and are not biodegradable. That means that ones that glitter gets into the water (or sand) it will be there for longer than you’ll likely be around. Not only does this make beaches look messy, but again… fish and animals are attracted to shiny objects (like lures) and like to eat shiny objects. As it turns out, plastic isn’t part of the food pyramid.

So, if you plan on wearing glitter or having a glittery beach party, please opt for biodegradable glitter rather than plastic glitter. It is usually plant-based (but still pretty) and won’t cause as much harm if eaten (or inhaled) by curious critters. As for beads, please make sure your jewelry is well made so it doesn’t break and scatter into the water. And if you wear sequin mermaid tails, please be aware that any shedding your tail does can kill your fishy friends. Maybe save the sequin for the pool!

RESPECT AQUATIC LIFE

When you’re in the water, you’re pretty much a guest in the home of all of the critters that live in the lake, ocean, river or pond that you’ve swimming in. So, it is best to treat your hosts with the respect that they deserve! While there are certainly sea creatures and lake dwellers who are curious about the human (mermaid?) in their waters and will come closer for a better look at you, there also many who will be more on the defensive and “oh no!” side. As a general rule of thumb, it is best to not to chase after the creatures that you find underwater. First of all, you never know how that animal might react- or if it has teeth! And secondly, you don’t want to accidentally harm an animal by touching it the wrong way! Plants and algae deserve respect too, since some can cause adverse reactions if they come into contact with you AND because… well. They are the home (and food) to many aquatic creatures and harming them harms your fishy friends!

USE NATURAL MERMAID TAIL LUBES

If you are reading this and you are not a person who wears silicone mermaid tails, then WELCOME TO THE WEIRD SIDE OF THE INTERNET! And if you are someone who wears silicone mermaid tails, then hi there! You know what’s up! As we earlier discussed, there are certain compounds and chemicals that can be harmful to coral reefs and that probably aren’t super healthy for other ocean and lake dwellers either. As with sunscreen, be mindful of the type of lubricant that you use to get into your silicone mermaid tail. Personally, I love Astroglide’s Water-Based Lubricant, since you do not have to use much of it at all, and therefore not much of anything ends up going into the water. PLUS! It doesn’t contain any of the chemicals that are known to cause harm to coral! If you prefer to use a mixture of conditioner and water instead, make sure that you go with something as natural as possible before taking your tail into open water!

Not sure how to get into your silicone mermaid tail? No worries! Check out the video below!

Need to buy some lube for your silicone mermaid tail? Check out the products below. They are affiliate links, yes, but they are exactly what I use to get into my silicone mermaid tails!

Buy on Amazon

DON’T HELP HITCHHIKERS!

Okay, back to things that apply to EVERYONE, not just merfolk! Aquatic hitchhikers. They are a real problem. Not just for the health of our natural bodies of water and the wellbeing of the creatures that live there, but they also negatively impact us too! How? Well… have you ever stepped on a zebra mussel before? Well let me tell you something. They. Are. Razor. Sharp. And. I. Despise. Them. Zebra mussels are NOT native to the Great Lakes. They are an invasive species that was introduced by ships that traveled to infested areas and back to the Great Lakes again. They are a nuisance! Sea Lamprey, Quagga Mussels, Asian Carp and Zebra Mussels are just a few examples of invasive species that have caused a lot of harm to various bodies of water where they’ve been introduced.

So where do you play a role here? Simple! Clean your gear REALLY good before you go from one swimming area to another. Gear includes mermaid tails (and accessories), scuba diving gear, your boat, your boat trailer, etc. Anything that comes into contact with the water should be thoroughly cleaned and/ or dried before you reenter the water of a different area. Why? Because some invasive species cannot be seen with the naked eye! Zebra mussel babies can live in a drop of water on your mermaid tail. If that drop of water goes into a NEW lake, river or swimming area, that baby may grow up to be a big, sharp, invasive problem. Depending on what type of gear you use, you may also be able to dry it in the sun for a few days to kill aquatic hitchhikers. Make sure you research your specific gear to be sure how to go about killing the invasive dudes… my fingers, feet and cut-up mermaid tail thank you! :)

BE AWARE

Lastly (well, kinda), one of the best things you can do to help keep our beaches healthy and clean is to be more conscious of your actions. Could you recycle that bottle instead of throwing it away? Could you use Tupperware instead of a plastic bag? Is biodegradable glitter a good option for your kid’s fairy party instead of plastic glitter? Simple changes and conscious choices can make a big difference in the grand scheme of things! And remember this too… NOBODY is perfect. But imagine the difference we can make if we’re all imperfectly doing our best to make an impact! It’s certainly better than not trying at all.

SHARE YOU KNOWLEDGE!

My final words on this topic is this… some people don’t have the pleasure of living near the water or being able to enjoy it as we do. Therefore, they might not know that their actions can negatively impact our natural bodies of water. And, some might not care because they don’t see the damage that’s been done firsthand and don’t have the same connection that we do with the water. Sharing what you’ve learned is great. It can help inspire others to make some changes. But! Please remember to share in a kind and encouraging way. Nobody likes to be told what to do. Lead by example, be a positive role model and celebrate the smallest of victories that you see among your peers. Together we can make a difference.

Here’s to hoping our Great Lakes stay great. And here’s to hoping that our oceans, rivers and seas may stay beautiful and healthy for all of the years to come!

Thank you for your help!

~Mermaid Phantom of TheMagicCrafter.com