When in paradise leave nothing behind except your footprints

When you travel anywhere in the world the only thing you should leave behind are your footprints in the sand and a positive impression on the locals. 

This may seem obvious but sadly, during my travels, I have encountered many people who want a bit of paradise with no regard to the local people or the environment they are visiting. These travelers spend their time enjoying the sunshine, dining out or shopping without taking the time to learn about the local culture or perhaps a few words of the local language.

There are many ways we can affect the delicate balance of the marine environment or potentially offend our local hosts perhaps without realising the effect our actions are having so this is my simple guide to being a responsible traveler. 

Be polite to the local residents :

Remember, you are visitors in someone else’s country, which means respecting the local people, their customs and their land.

Greet locals with a smile and be polite. English is the second language for many people but generally they make a great effort to communicate in our language. Why not try learning some local words before you travel or if you are not good at languages you can download a translation tool such as Google Translate to your phone. This will improve communication, help avoid misunderstandings and will make for a much more positive interaction.

If you are struggling with communication be patient and keep smiling. In my experience there is always a way to make yourself understood. Even if it means reverting to sign language or drawing pictures, you will get there in the end and will often end up having a good laugh in the process.

Respect the environment :

If we continue to produce plastic at the current rate there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2030 !!!!! What a sobering prediction but if we all work together we can to avoid this coming to fruition.

There has been huge publicity recently about the effects of plastic on our environment as items such as plastic bottles, take away coffee cups or drinking straws can find their way into the ocean causing harm to marine and bird life.

One simple way to reduce your plastic usage is to take a refillable water bottle, a reusable coffee cup and bamboo or metal straws everywhere you go. 

Buy fresh local food:

Sometimes it can be hard to avoid using plastic such as when buying fruit and vegetables in supermarkets as these are often packaged in plastic. A great alternative is to buy from local roadside vendors where the food is sold in it’s natural state and is invariably cheaper and fresher. This not only helps the local economy but also provides a positive interaction with local people. 

Reduce your use of chemicals which can harm the environment :

14000 tonnes of sunscreen enters the water around coral reefs every year. Oxybenzone ( a common chemical ingredient in sunscreen lotions or sprays) can cause damage at just 62 parts per trillion which is the equivalent to one drop of water in 60 Olympic sized swimming pools. A very sobering fact!!

Remember what you put on your body washes off into the ocean and chemicals in sunscreen, insect repellent and toiletries can damage the finely balanced coral reef ecosystem and have an adverse affect on marine life . This issue is on the increase as more people take their vacation in coral reef areas. 

But it’s an easy one to solve, as all it takes is a little planning. Reef safe sunscreen products containing only mineral or natural ingredients are widely available as are Deet free natural insect repellents. I have tried a few reef safe sunscreens and prefer  “Reef Repair” but I’m sure others are just as good. If you cannot buy them at your local chemist they can be easily ordered on line before you travel ( www.reefrepair.org ) 

Do not touch the coral :

All it takes is one touch to kill off between 100 and 200 coral polyps

One major cause of damage to the reef comes from the millions of visitors who visit these beautiful structures every year. Many people dream of swimming snorkeling or diving at coral reefs but if you are fortunate enough to visit one of these beautiful areas please make sure that your only interaction with coral is with your eyes or your camera.. Please DO NOT TOUCH the coral in any way. This does not simply mean do not handle the coral or break it off both of which should be fairly obvious. It also means avoiding kicking coral with flippers ( fins ) whilst snorkeling or using the Potato Coral for somewhere to stand to take a break whilst swimming. If in doubt please keep a good distance between yourself and the coral.

Summary - Every little helps !

Every single person on our planet has the responsibility to make it a better place. These are just a few simple guidelines but if you follow them you can leave your paradise behind safe in the knowledge that nothing has changed from when you arrived.