Pack It in, Pack It out
Consider yourselves distinguished guests of the sand and the shore -- and would you leave your lunch leftovers all over someone else’s house? Bring food and drinks in reusable containers and be sure to properly dispose of all trash and leftovers or to take the remainders home.
Clean up After Fido
There’s nothing like a happy dog frolicking in the waves, but respect your fellow beachgoers by picking up after your pooch if it leaves its “mark” on the sand or in the water.
Build a Better Sand Castle
For a greener sand experience, arm your little one with toys made from recycled or reclaimed materials. Try those from GreenToys.com, which are made from recycled plastic milk containers.
Let Resting Plants (and Animals) Lie
This is nature’s playground, not your living room, so be sure to respect all living things at the beach. Adopting a look-don’t-touch policy is often the best way to keep rough little fingers away from fragile plants and animals.
Take Action!
One of the best ways to show your appreciation for the beach is to join a local advocacy group or cleanup organization. Many states have adopt-a-beach programs for oceans and lakes.
Marisa Belger’s work has appeared in Travel + Leisure Family, Natural Health, Prevention
and TODAYShow.com, where she wrote a column about eco-friendly living. She was an editor at Lime.com and collaborated with author Josh Dorfman on his bestselling books, The Lazy Environmentalist
and The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget. She is the managing editor of and frequent contributor to
Green Goes Simple.