Be a responsible travellerSummer, the peak period for holidays, often means a visit to the seaside, not least for those of you who want to give your children a treat. Here are a few simple guidelines to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable experience, while minimising your impact on the environment.
Rock pooling: For children with inquisitive minds, one of the great pleasures is rock pooling. It's amazing how many creatures can be found in the process, and to help you identify them, you can download charts or take along books. Always remember though - don't take any finds home with you. The
UK Rock Pooling Club has several excellent sections, including safety tips and creature IDs.
Join a beach survey or clean-up: If you want to do something practical, why not get involved with the Marine Conservation Society's
Adopt-A-Beach or
Beachwatch? The Marine Conservation Society can also offer some tips to
help the sea recover.
Man's best friend: Dog-fouling is a major problem on beaches. Don't bury your dog's contribution in the sand. Apart from the nasty surprise awaiting your children building sandcastles, dog poo can act as a concentrated fertiliser, damaging rare plants which need the low nutrient levels of sandy soils.
Cigarette ends: If you're a smoker, don't be a pain in the butt by dropping cigarette ends on the beach. Cigarette butts can take up to 25 years to decompose, and can contain more than 165 chemicals such as cadmium, lead and arsenic, which can leach into the marine environment within an hour of contact with water. Take all of your rubbish home with you.
Fishing: If you really must fish, don't leave behind discarded tackle. Entanglement is one of the most common causes of seabird and other marine species' fatalities.
Diving: Act sensitively, keep your impact to a minimum, and try not to touch. Corals, for example, are made up of many living polyps that secrete a thin mucous for their protection. Touching these tiny animals can mean the kiss of death.
Cultural sensitivities: On your travels, always be sensitive to local cultures and respect local communities. For example, ask permission if you want to take a photograph of a particular person or group. Earthwatch was one of the first organisations offering ethical and environmentally responsible travel and our activities are working towards the guidelines of the International Centre for Responsible Tourism.
Get involved: And finally, if you want to volunteer on an Earthwatch marine project and minimise your carbon footprint, Dolphins of Greece, Whales and Dolphins of Moray Firth and Whales and Dolphins of the Hebrides are all accessible by overland travel.
Report by Simon Laman.