By Amanda Dolan, ARP

The best part of staying at our Southern California resorts is that you’re so close to the beach. Because of how important the location is for guests, associates at Grand Pacific Resorts are always looking for ways to protect our marine resources.

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In December, Grand Pacific Resorts hosted its third annual beach clean-up. Forty associates from resorts throughout Southern California participated, and in one afternoon we collected more than 35 pounds of trash!

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So what can you do to keep our precious oceans alive and flourishing while on vacation? Here are a few suggestions.

  1. Download Seafood Watch

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has an awesome website, Seafood Watch, where you can look up different types of fish to see what the most sustainable dinner options are. For quick reference on the go, download the free app.

  1. Use Less Plastic

Most of the trash that ends up in the ocean is plastic. Water bottles are a particular problem, and according to the EPA it takes 450 years for them to degrade! All of our resorts have a complimentary water station where you can refill your reusable water bottle on vacation.

  1. Buy Reef-Friendly Sunblock

The most common sunscreens contain chemicals like oxybenzone that damage coral reefs. Mineral-based sunscreens use zinc oxide to shield your skin from the sun without harmful chemicals. We love the SPF 30 Sport Sunscreen from Juice Beauty because it’s easy to rub in and smells delicious.

  1. Respect Marine Life

The ocean is a complex ecosystem. Removing native species from their natural environment is not only bad for them individually, but also harmful to the ecosystem is a whole. If you see a starfish on the beach, take only photos with you.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Dolan, general manager at Coronado Beach Resort, our sister resort in Coronado, California, chairs the green committee at Grand Pacific Resorts.