Planning the Perfect Sustainable Beach Trip Tips for Eco-Friendly Adventures

As the summer sun beckons, many of us are eager to hit one of the Georgian Bay beaches, or elsewhere, for some much-needed relaxation and fun. However, amidst the excitement, it’s crucial to consider how we can minimize our environmental impact and ensure that our beach trips are sustainable. By incorporating these eco-friendly practices into our planning, we can enjoy the beauty of the coast while preserving it for future generations.

1. First and foremost, choosing a destination that prioritizes sustainability is key. The shorter, the better to minimize Greenhouse Gas emissions. Even better, choose eco-friendly modes of transportation such as biking, carpooling, or taking public transit to reduce your carbon emissions.

2. When packing for your beach trip, opt for reusable items whenever possible: durable water bottles, reusable bamboo utensils, beeswax to wrap your food, to minimize single-use plastic waste. Packing a beach bag with reusable organic towels and containers for snacks can also help cut down on disposable items.

3. Try to stick with a reusable cooler, or a compostable cooler instead of something single-use. Fill with ice or reusable ice packs, and reusable water bottles, along with big jugs of water to easily refill them.

4. Use an eco-friendly sunscreen, such as reef safe sunscreens, mineral sunscreen, non-nano zinc oxide sunscreen, and make sure it doesn’t include oxybenzone and octinoxate, to avoid these chemicals ending up in the lake.

5. Once at the beach, minimize your impact on the environment. Avoid disturbing sensitive habitats such as dunes and Piping Plovers fragile habitat in Wasaga Beach Area 1, and refrain from feeding wildlife.

6. When enjoying recreational activities such as swimming, snorkeling, or kayaking, respect marine life and their habitats, and adhere to any guidelines or regulations in place to protect the local ecosystem.

7. LEAVE NO TRACE: whatever you bring with you goes home with you, or dispose of trash properly by recycling and using designated waste bins, if any and if not already full.

8. Leave the beach better than you found it. Participating in beach clean-up efforts can also be a rewarding way to give back. Wasaga Beach Climate Action Team is partnering with Georgian Bay Forever for Beach Clean-up:

• Wasaga Beach Area 2, Tuesdays from 9:30am to 11:30am

• Collingwood Sunset Point, Tuesdays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm

• Thornbury Little River Park, Thursdays from 9:30am to 11:30am

• And Thornbury The Fish Way, every Monday from 1:00pm to 3:00pm.

• Visit WBCAT website at https://wasagabeachclimateaction. com/shoreline-cleanups/

Finally, take the opportunity to educate yourself and others about the importance of sustainable tourism and conservation efforts, by spreading awareness and advocating for responsible vacations and travel practices.

Therefore, when planning your next sustainable beach trip, prioritize eco-friendly practices, and enjoy the natural beauty of the coast while minimizing your environmental footprint and contributing to the health and longevity of our lakes and beaches.

Local Action Produces Global Impact

Engage with Wasaga Beach Climate Action Team wasagabeachclimateaction.com Info@wasagbeachclimateaction.com

Submitted by Gerard Dusastre