How You Can Help the Turtles
How You Can Help the Turtles
Let me give you a quick background on my turtle obsession. I grew up on the ocean and have continued to live on the ocean (minus a brief miserable period in Pennsylvania). I have a deep passion for saving turtles as they’re currently endangered. I wrote my Master’s Thesis (the first one) on Global Turtle Conservation. There are Sea Turtle Parks that mask themselves as a version of Sea World but really they slaughter turtles.
But the farming and killing of turtles is not the only threat. Artificial light, plastics and cars all harm turtles.
The Survival of Sea Turtles
Watch the miraculous journey of infant sea turtles as these tiny animals run the gauntlet of predators and harsh conditions. Then, in numbers, see how human behavior has made their tough lives even more challenging. Lesson by Scott Gass, animation by Veronica Wallenberg and Johan Sonestedt.
Sea Turtles have been roaming the Earth for the last 100 million years peacefully. There’s a reason they’re facing harm. There are some simple things we can do today to make a difference. By making some simple changes in your daily habits, you can make a huge difference.
Make a Swap
Straws
Plastic straws are huge problem! Straws end up in the ocean all the time and then end up being consumed by turtles or like in this photo, in their nose. By making a simple switch of grabbing reusable straws we can prevent this from happening.
Plastic Bags
Fun fact: plastic bags are not biodegradable. Marine life will see a plastic bag and mistake it for food. Plastic bags can often look like jellyfish and to a turtle, that seems like a tasty snack. The problem is that when they ingest a plastic bag it can cause a blockage in their system, leading to death. Switch your plastic bags at the grocery store to these reusable bags. You’ll not only help the fish but most grocery stores give you a discount for each bag you bring!
Reusable Bottles
Just like plastic bags and straws, bottles end up in the ocean all the time. According to ModestFish, “We’re dumping 40 million plastic water bottles per day–40 million.” That’s an insane number. I personally made the switch to using bottles from Sand Cloud. They donate 10% of profit to ocean conservation. I have both of their bottles and I could not be happier with the quality. (Use the code ASHLEY4654 for 15% off) How many water bottles are sitting in your car? Make the switch to reusable and you immediately have a cleaner car!
Reef Safe Sunscreen
My friends make fun of me but I make sure the sunscreen I use is reef safe. Hawaii has recently banned certain chemicals because it causes reef bleaching, meaning you must have reef safe sunscreen when in Hawaii. I personally love Raw Love Sunscreen. According to The New York Times, 14,000 tons of sunscreen ends up in the ocean and hits the Caribbean and Hawaii causing massive damage. When the reefs are bleached, the marine live that lives on coral, suffer. The law in Hawaii will be enforced in 2021.
You can change the world.
A simple swap can change everything.
By making simple changes, you can make a
global impact. Consider today making a
swap. I promise you won’t miss the plastic
bags, plastic straws, and bottles.
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