⛵️Living on a boat has made us better humans. It has made us so much more in tune into with how our existence impacts the space around us.
🌍 We have become hyper-aware of how many gallons of water & fuel we consume, how much organic and non-organic waste we create and it’s direct effects on the oceans we float upon. Between life afloat and working on other people’s boats, we see marine debris (mostly plastic) floating by all the time. The majority of what we pick up is single use, pre-packaged food items. It’s heartbreaking to know that our convenient little snack packets end up in the stomachs of the most beautiful sea creatures.
🌊Since our home lives upon the very ecosystem that is suffering, we feel it is our responsibility to be stewards of the oceans. We have made many changes to our lifestyle to reduce our impact and tread lighter on our beautiful planet. We've also committed to donating 10% of the proceeds of each Youtube video we create, thanks to our incredible Patreon team. Join the Patreon crew here!
Here are a couple of the organizations we've donated to in honor of our Patrons:
⚓️The photo below was taken while we were at anchor at Little Scorpion marine reserve on Santa Cruz Island and it is a perfect example of how glorious nature can be when protected and cared for.
👇Here are 5 easy ways you can make a difference: ✨Advocate for policy change, donate to important environmental causes when you can, and spread awareness on this issue. ✨Choose a new item every month to find a plastic-free alternative for: toothbrush & paste, shampoo, dish soap, cleaning products are great ones to start with. ✨Make your snacks at home or buy things in bulk instead of pre-packaged portions. I bet you $5 that if you make your own tortilla chips they will taste 10 times better than store bought ones wrapped in plastic! ✨Repair what you have and buy used instead of new. Choose quality over quantity! ✨Vote with your dollar: Avoid purchasing from big-box companies like Amazon. whenever possible! I guarantee that walking into a local shop or finding a small business to support will be way more rewarding. Plus, by shopping small and local, you reduce your carbon footprint (less shipping pollution) and eliminate wasteful shipping materials.
Some of our favorite eco-conscious shops include:
- SeaBlue Collective: Founded by 3 female surfer friends, one of which went to elementary school with me (Sonya), have created an online marketplace for eco-friendly products and they have an incredible variety of items to choose from! All the businesses on their site have commited to certain eco-standards in terms of packaging, shipping, product creation, etc.
- Claryti Plastic-Free Cleaning Products: Made by fellow sailors and eco-warriors. Their products clean super well, are biodegradeable and they smell heavenly!
- Catamaran Supply: Sailor-run business that not only sells tons of quality boat parts, they have a plastic free shop with tons of products to try if you are looking to reduce your plastic consumption!
If you use any of these eco-hacks, hit reply and let us know - we would love to hear that you are making moves towards a sustainable future. Would you like us to share more plastic-free hacks, DIY tips and recipes to reduce your waste?