July kicks off with “Clean Beaches Week,” a time to celebrate our beautiful beaches and ensure that they stay clean and safe for generations to come. While this week only takes place from July 1-7, we hope to promote our Maine community to consistently and actively practice any of the following:
- Take care of your trash – If there are trash and recycling bins available, dispose of your waste properly. If not, please respect the environment and take any trash home to prevent littering the property.
- Change your packaging – Bringing a picnic to the beach is always a plus; pack your delicious snacks in reusable tupperware or eco-friendly packages.
- Feed yourself, not the animals – Enjoy your snacks with your friends and family, not the animals! Don’t disrupt the diet of the wildlife around you, whether it be the birds or the fishes.
- Consume sustainably caught seafood – Research the food you buy and the restaurants you dine at to make sure you are not contributing to an unethical or unsafe practice.
- Opt for organic sunscreens – Look for sun protectants with safe ingredients. Keep your skin safe from harm, while also decreasing potential threat to the ocean.
- Be an ocean friendly pet owner – If you bring your pets to the beach, be sure to pick up after them. This makes for less waste and ocean pollution, and provides a clean and enjoyable area for future beachgoers.
- Join a beach cleanup! – Live near the ocean, or have a favorite seaside spot? Tag along with an organization or recruit friends and family and plan a clean up together!
Check out some of our artists’ work featuring recycled float rope, Maine found sea glass, and beach stones and shells.
If you have any more suggestions and advice to keep our hoME state lovely as can be, feel free to comment below!