Tag: Zero Waste Living

6 Steps to Jump-Start Your Plastic-Free Kitchen

6 Steps to Jump-Start Your Plastic-Free Kitchen

Getting to a completely plastic-free kitchen can seem daunting. But taking these first steps can get you well on your way! Here are 6 steps to jump-start your plastic-free kitchen.

10 Simple Ways to Save Electricity

10 Simple Ways to Save Electricity

Conserving energy not only decreases your carbon footprint but it also saves you money! Here are 10 simple ways to save electricity.

3 Plastic-Free Reef-Safe Sunscreen Brands

3 Plastic-Free Reef-Safe Sunscreen Brands

The Labor Day Weekend is just around the corner and while this Summer has been anything but ordinary, hopefully you’re soaking up the last bits of it before heading into Fall.

Before you go grabbing a plastic bottle of sunscreen that could potentially harm sea life, consider some of these plastic-free and ocean-friendly sunscreens.

First, when choosing a sunscreen you want to avoid a number of chemicals that are harmful to marine life and reefs. Check the label and make sure the sunscreen does not include these ingredients:

  • Oxybenzone
  • Octinoxate
  • Octocrylene
  • 4-methylbenzylidene camphor
  • PABA
  • Parabens
  • Triclosan
  • Nanoparticles or “nano-sized” zinc or titanium
  • Any form of microplastic, such as “exfoliating beads”

Here are a few brands that make plastic-free reef-safe sunscreens. What I love about these brands are that they were created by ocean lovers!

Raw Elements

Raw elements is one of the top brands for plastic-free reef-friendly sunscreens. They have a few different options. The first is a general sunscreen for face and body.

This is a great overall sunscreen with 95% organic ingredients.

For a daily moisturizer and sunscreen for your face, there’s the tinted facial moisturizer options.

And for the kids, you have a sunscreen that won’t sting their eyes!

Raw Elements was created by Brian Guadagno, a lifeguard who wanted to create sunscreens that wouldn’t harm the ocean!

EiR

EiR has two options. The first is a basic sunscreen in a metal tin. I love that it only has six ingredients.

The second option is in a cardboard tube. These sunscreen sticks make it easy to apply without getting your hands dirty.

Jun Lee is a surfer and samba dancer who created EiR, naming the company after the healing goddess!

Surf Durt

Finally, we have Surf Durt which has a sunscreen that’s packaged in a bamboo container.

I love that they use organic ingredients and manufacture it in the US, using solar power! Also, Surf Durt was created by two female surfers in San Diego…so clearly, I have to rep my own tribe!

What do you think? When you run out of sunscreen, will you consider one of these plastic-free, reef-friendly options?

For related and random posts, check out:

Olivia for the Ocean - Plastic-Free Living
Olivia for the Ocean - Plastic-free Living
10 Things I’ve Eliminated Since Going Plastic-Free

10 Things I’ve Eliminated Since Going Plastic-Free

When you first start off on your plastic-free journey, it can seem daunting. But I like to tell newbies to eliminate before finding replacements. Here are 10 things I stopped buying when I started living plastic-free.

5 Items for a Quick Plastic-Free First Aid Kit

5 Items for a Quick Plastic-Free First Aid Kit

Traditional band aids and ointments are made with plastic and packaged in plastic. To avoid some of that extra plastic, here are some plastic-free options to first aid kit essentials.