Sun, Sand, Surf... and Zero-Waste Sunscreen

It’s almost summertime… I don’t know about you, but when the days get warmer and the sun shines in abundance, I start dreaming of the beach. Thankfully, I hold some roots down on the coast of Virginia and Maryland, so the location is almost always the same and lodging is free. (Score!)  I also have two children and I’m known as the planner in my family, so the very next thing I do is make a list. And believe me -- if you’re trying to reduce single-use plastic in your life and you’re getting ready to go on vacation, a list and proper planning can be the difference between eco-friendly and eco-destructive.

Plastic Free Vacation Kit
I highly recommend making a kit with all the reusable items you think you’ll need on your vacation — travel coffee mugs and water bottles, bamboo plates and silverware, reusable straws, a few shopping bags, a waterproof “ditty bag” or two for wet clothes, towels and bathing suits, and maybe some travel-friendly food-storage containers. (It’s a good idea to brainstorm with your partner or travel buddy to make sure you’ve got your bases covered.) Then stick everything in a laundry basket or other container you’ve got lying around. Just think of all the food- and drink-related plastic trash you kept out of the waste stream just by planning ahead. Swoon!
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Pro-tip: Bring a travel-friendly container of the Dr. Bronners’ Castile Soap you got in bulk at one of our local grocery stores, fill up a water cooler or a few repurposed beverage containers, and grab a bucket or bin. Voila, you’ll have a ready-made washing station in the back of your car.

Zero-Waste Sunscreen
Now, on to sunscreen. While sunscreen should be a part of any beach vacation and may even be in your daily routine, so often it comes in the ubiquitous plastic bottle.  The aerosol spray version seems to be gaining in popularity… the metal part can be recycled, but the plastic spray nozzle cannot. Not only that, it usually contains a fraction of the amount, so really you’re spending more money to buy air.

Luckily, several options exist to buy truly zero-waste sunscreen that works. Here’s a link for 6 Plastic-Free, Reef Safe Alternatives to sunscreen in plastic bottles. And while we are focusing on plastic reduction, it’s important to note that many sunscreens have ingredients that are harmful to coral reefs and other aquatic habitats. “Swimmer pollution” in popular tourist areas can create an oily, iridescent sheen on the surface of the water that lingers after all the tourists go home. (Interested in more info on the topic of sunscreen pollution? Check out this blog post by MarineSafe.org)

​It’s also important to plan ahead in this department because although there are several zero-waste sunscreens out there, chances are they’re not going to be available at the gas station or WalMart on the way to the beach. (Guilty.) Typically, zero-waste sunscreen comes in a metal tin, a compostable tube, or a glass jar. Just be sure that if you get one in a compostable tube, you keep it dry in your waterproof ditty bag or it may disintegrate over the course of your vacation. If you opt for the metal tin, some companies even offer a program for sending back empties for a refill.

If you DIY, you can also make your own sunscreen! Recipes typically include zinc oxide, which has a 20+ SPF, along with other ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil, and vitamin E that provide additional protection. Kathryn Kellogg from GoingZeroWaste, a self-proclaimed “child of the sun”, swears by her recipe for mineral sunscreen with a natural 30 SPF, but you can find many online.

Sun-Protective Clothing
Another great step? Use less! “But,” you say, “isn’t sun protection is important?” Yes definitely, but there are other ways to avoid sun overexposure. If you are going to be sitting on a beach long periods of time, try to take a break in the middle of the day and bring a hat and cover up that protects at least your upper body. Covering up with lightweight clothing and applying lotion to only the neck, face, feet and backs of hands can reduce the amount of the likely pricier-than-conventional zero-waste sunscreen you’ll need to apply, while also reducing sunscreen loads into the water by 90 percent. If you have children or are sun-sensitive (either naturally or because of a particular medication), you can invest in “sun clothes,” clothing items that are specifically designed to reduce UV exposure. A quick Google search pulls up a wide variety of fashionable options for everyone.
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We hope you find these tips useful and have a fabulous, plastic-free beach vacation!

Sincerely,
Megan Travi
Development Associate
​Asheville GreenWorks