The beach is the perfect place to relax and feel one with nature. To keep these natural beauties spotless (and to make sure there are still beaches for future vacays), we need to do our part to keep the beaches clean. Consider these five tips the next time you’re on the beach.
1. Clean up a beach.
Go beyond the sparkling sands of your resort and join an organized cleanup. If you haven’t found anything online, your resort’s concierge might know a thing or two. If you decide to do a beach cleanup of your own, go during low tide and make sure you’re disposing the trash in a bin with a lid so wind or wildlife can’t get a hold of it.
Beaches can't stay this pristine without our help! (Photo by: @kitkatstravels)2. BYOB
Water bottles, that is. Bring your own reusable bottle to stay hydrated without leaving anything behind. Besides saving you some money, it’ll save the environment a TON. It takes around 450 years for a water bottle to decompose in a landfill, so imagine how long that plastic will be floating around in our ocean. Keep in mind, this isn’t an issue just at resort towns – plastic bottles are polluting beaches worldwide – so take this habit home too.
Help keep beaches clean in style! (Photo by: @stylishmodernhome)3. Explore responsibly.
Going out and exploring the natural beauty of these beach areas is an unrivaled experience. But when you see the sights, make sure you do it with Mother Nature in mind. Kayaking, canoeing and stand-up paddle boarding are more than awesome workouts – they’re emissions free! It’s the little things that will keep the air and water quality in check.
Paddle boarding doesn't look so bad with this view! (Photo by: @loacuevas)4. Look for the Blue Flag.
The Blue Flag icon only shows up on beaches, marinas and tour operators that achieve tip-top environmental standards in environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria. Supporting these beaches means you not only you get a pristine beach to soak up some sun on, but you’re also supporting companies and municipalities that do things the right way.
Puerto Plata features four of the Dominican Republic's Blue Flag Beaches. (Photo by: M. Haas)5. Travel in the slow season.
Spreading out your travels reduces stress on the land. Plus, you can snag great deals and have the beach to yourself! When you sit down to plan your vacay, consider checking out the summer months. You won’t be escaping frosty weather in the North, but you will do the beach and your wallet a favor.
This beach looks just as sweet year round. (Photo by: @jbrochu)With these tips in mind, you’ll be able to help do your part of protecting the environment. Before you decide to lead a Caribbean-wide beach cleanup, check out some of our resorts in Mexico and Jamaica where you can help make a big difference!
