Sustainable ways to help our oceans while traveling

Here at TravelLocal, we’re huge advocates for ethical and sustainable travel – from the items you pack in your suitcase to the food you eat, and the transport you get around in. Everywhere we love to escape to, the wild and dense rainforests, rushing rivers, and lofty mountain peaks need our continued protection in order to thrive.

Of course, this applies to our oceans more than ever. The effects of irresponsible waste disposal, climate change, and overfishing are just some of the threats to our spectacular marine ecosystems. Our oceans need everyone’s combined efforts – when traveling and at home – to stay pristine, safe, and teeming with life. So how can we support ocean life when traveling? The main thing to remember is that every small action counts, even when you’re only visiting somewhere for a short time. Here are some of our suggestions for easy and sustainable ways to help our oceans while traveling.

Cut back on (or completely avoid) single-use plastics

We’ve all seen the photos of the seahorse and the cotton bud, plastic straws stuck in turtles’ noses, six-pack wrappers around the necks of seabirds, and plastic debris in the stomachs of whales and dolphins. Plastic pollution is a plague on the world’s oceans, dirtying water quality, amassing shocking carpets of litter out at sea, and posing a risk to thousands of species of marine life.

TV shows such as David Attenborough’s Planet Earth and Blue Planet have contributed towards a cultural shift for reduced plastic usage – the UK government, for instance, passed a ban on free plastic grocery bags and pushed for cardboard or metal straws in bars and restaurants. Countries such as Kenya, France, and Canada have made big moves to ban single-use plastic, and businesses are slowly transitioning to reusable packaging as more consumers demand it – but we still have a long way to go.

Making a personal effort to completely mitigate your use of single-use plastics is a big step towards protecting our oceans from plastic pollution; and this extends to putting pressure on the big corporate giants to use less plastic in their products, too.

Join and support local community initiatives

In many destinations, especially those that have embraced eco-tourism such as Costa Rica or the Maldives, you’ll find local initiatives that support and encourage marine conservation. Take any chance to join the community in their efforts: help with beach clean-ups, volunteer at a turtle hatchery, attend talks about conservation efforts, and join local protests or rallies that fight for environmental concerns – these are simple, sustainable ways to help our oceans while traveling.

These opportunities will be more prolific in destinations with a strong environmental slant already in their culture – places such as Costa Rica, the Seychelles, or New Zealand are great examples – however, it’s the countries with a burgeoning sustainability scene and smaller grassroots initiatives that will need your support. Chat with one of our local experts about the destination you have in mind to gauge what the situation is like on the ground. Charity begins at home, too – in the US, for example, you can fight for trash-free seas and protected sea life across the world by supporting organizations like Ocean Conservancy.

Contribute towards responsible wastewater disposal

Wastewater being channeled into the ocean without adequate filtering is one of the biggest causes of water pollution, damaging ecosystems, and making water unsafe to swim in for both humans and wildlife. Where vast amounts of wastewater is distributed can seem somewhat out of our control, and you might feel hopeless to change things. However, there are ways to put pressure on both local governments and private water companies to demand more ethical solutions to wastewater.

Join local community forces and donate to charities that campaign for responsible water systems (Surfers Against Sewage is a good UK-based example). When traveling, do some research and ask questions about the water quality of the ocean. It goes without saying that in some countries, the sewage situation is more of a problem than in others, but by making businesses and governments aware of both local and tourist demands, conversations worldwide can stoke change.

Avoid using products that harm our oceans

Another lifestyle choice that begins at home is to consider which products you use that end up in the sea. A well-known example is microbeads, usually found in toothpaste or as an exfoliant in facewash. These tiny plastic beads don’t break down, can poison fish when accidentally eaten, and gather in marine environments – disrupting ecosystems and giving off contaminants that contribute to toxic water quality. Since 2018 the use of microbeads has been illegal in the UK and USA, but it’s still vital to check what’s in your bathroom cabinet, and any toiletries you might buy when on the road.

There are more items in your suitcase to consider – some clothing is made with plastic nylon fibers that end up in oceans during laundering; discarded electronics such as mobile phones leak battery acid into the sea; and non-degradable packaging (the likes of polystyrene and bubble wrap) end up floating among marine life or caught in fishing nets. Then there are the items that are problematic when flushed – sanitary products, wet wipes, or birth control pills – all of which fundamentally become ocean sewage. Little by little, we can switch to products that protect the environment until it becomes second nature to do so. Start by checking labeling, reducing your single-use plastics consumption, and correctly recycling or disposing of used items. You’ll be thankful for it the next time you’re swimming in pristine, clear waters on a trip away from home.

Leave nothing behind on the beach

One thing we can all agree on: beaches are most beautiful when clean. The instruction to ‘leave no trace’, which asks us to take everything back home when we’re outdoors, is one of the most immediate actions we can take to protect our global coastal environment.

Beachgoers often pack heavily – plastic inflatable floats, windbreaks, sunblock, bottles of water, a frisbee, novelty sunglasses – and sadly, many leave these items behind, alongside a glut of cigarette butts, empty beer bottles, used nappies and food packaging. It’s too common that these items are found buried or washed up on the coastline, sometimes decades later, which isn’t surprising when plastic can last up to 450 years without degrading.

There are usually resources available for recycling and waste disposal, but even when it’s not obvious where to bin something, never leave your litter on the beach for the ocean to swallow. Whether you’re at home or on a tropical island, by leaving your little spot on the sand the same, or cleaner than when you found it, we can all enjoy the world’s stunning ocean landscapes for years to come.

Responsibly plan scuba diving and snorkeling trips

For many, donning a mask and fins is their biggest motivation to travel – truly, nothing beats exploring the sublime, watery wonderland that exists under the ocean’s surface. It’s worth remembering, however, that not all scuba and snorkeling trips are created equal. Depending on the destination, it’s often the case that anyone with a boat can set up a snorkeling or diving trip for tourists. These ‘companies’ might not have adequate training around health and safety, nor the knowledge of which spots are best to explore without damaging the marine environment.

If you’re keen to go scuba diving or snorkeling in places such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Sea in Egypt, or Komodo Park, Indonesia, research is vital to ensure you pick a veritable trip. You’ll find there are lots of diving companies that passionately put sustainability and protection of the ocean ahead of profits. This ethos should apply to all ocean-based excursions – so whether you’re dolphin- or whale-spotting, going sailing, or just taking a scenic boat trip, look for companies who work in harmony with the marine environment they operate in.

Minimize your overall carbon footprint

On a global scale, minimizing our personal carbon footprint can contribute towards reducing the effects of climate change, including the warming of the ocean and rising sea levels. We can work these small actions into our daily routines, wherever we are – by taking public transport, choosing to buy from ethical, sustainable companies (rather than big corporations or fast fashion brands, for instance), or even eating more vegan meals.

Of course, there isn’t an easy solution to the climate crisis; there are lots of grey areas and a balance of choices. But just having sustainability in mind as you go about your daily life is a step towards cultural shifts that collectively make a huge impact. Monitor the extent of your personal carbon footprint by using online tools such as the WWF Footprint Calculator.

Make it happen

To discuss how you can support local communities when on a customized trip, get in touch with one of our travel experts. They’re on the ground in the destination, so can offer all the local information you need to help plan the trip of your dreams.