While lands have mountains, skies, and foliages to enhance their beauty, undersea life is also pretty exciting, but it is a different thing that underwater life often gets overlooked. Simply put, the undersea is no less than a paradise; the existence of different marine mammals and the stunning coral reefs make the marine life far more interesting and spectacular. Apart from the fascinating marine mammals and fishes, another thing that makes underwater life so fabulous is coral reef formation. These stunning and colorful coral reefs are a natural attraction for travelers, snorkeling and diving are two of the most common types of water-based activities that allow travelers to get an up-close look at these gorgeous formations.
Coral reefs are crucial to protect marine life, without them, there would be no marine life. Which makes us come to the point; coral reefs are currently facing a huge threat from factors like pollution, invasive species, climate change, etc. These factors collectively are causing coral reefs to disappear around the world. There would be no marine life without coral reefs, and people around the world have already started to work towards preserving these colorful communities. And if you also want to contribute to this cause, then make sure to follow these tips when you travel.
Use reef-safe sunscreen
Believe it or not, your sunscreens are known to cause so much harm to these coral reefs, and that can be attributed to the presence of chemicals in their formulas. Sunscreen gets deposited into the ocean, which in turn, starts harming the coral reefs. The only way to prevent this is by using a reef-safe sunscreen instead of your regular sunscreen. Sunscreen containing ingredients like zinc and titanium oxide won’t cause any harm to coral reefs, whereas, ingredients like oxybenzone, octinoxate, and avobenzone are extremely harmful to coral reefs.
Pack smartly
While single-use plastic is an easy choice in today’s world, it is not a sustainable approach. If we continue to use single-use plastic, then there will come a time when the ocean will contain more plastic than fishes, which sounds absolutely scary. Therefore, we all need to change our approach and use more sustainable products to avoid causing any harm to the environment. When it comes to packing for your vacation, make sure to bring reusable essentials like water bottles, straws, utensils, toiletries, shopping bags, etc.
Throw trash in a dustbin
These little things can actually make a world of difference to the world. Be it your own trash or somebody else’s, you should always throw them in a dustbin. This is the least thing you can do to make a difference from your end and contribute to the cause of saving the environment. Plastic bags, bottles, and other items tend to wind up in the oceans when they aren’t disposed of properly, therefore, if you see any trash outside the dustbin or at any other place, then you can become a responsible person and dispose of it in a bin.
Avoid touching marine animals and reefs
While we understand it can be quite tempting to touch corals and marine animals, you should refrain from doing so to avoid disrupting the marine ecosystem. You should only look at them from afar and not touch them. Water-based activities like snorkeling and diving can stir up sediments and might even smother corals. You should not only refrain from touching live corals but dead and bleached ones too, as several sea creatures often use them as a shelter. Additionally, you should avoid picking on starfish or other live animals, no matter how harmless or beautiful they look.