http://www.care2.com/greenliving/schooled-in-sunscreen.html
Schooled in Sunscreen
Pity the poor fishes. There they are, just swimming around in the ocean minding their own business—all the while, humans are swimming around above them pointing and ogling them like they were paying for a show. It’s funny though, they don’t seem to mind. They don’t swim away from us and they don’t seem to be bothered by humans (how would we know if they were?) so I figure no harm, no foul. Right? Not so fast.
I love swimming in the ocean and I love snorkeling, but last week in Kauai I got to thinking about the pretty fish and how they felt about me and everyone else invading their turf. Turns out there is something to be concerned about: Sunscreen.
Obviously, sunscreen is a must. Especially for someone as fair as I am. But the schools of tropical fish I love so much could be in some serious trouble if swimmers don’t start thinking about what they are putting on their skin before getting into the water.
You see, there are several common ingredients in sunscreen that threaten the coral fish need to live, according to a recent study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
And since swimmers leave 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen in the world’s oceans every year, threatening the approximately 10 percent of the world’s coral that humans–and therefore sunscreen–come into contact with, we’ve got a problem.
So what are these problem ingredients? Paraben, cinnamate, benzophenone and a camphor derivative, according to this study.
I was extra careful to bring a paraben-free sunscreen after a recent bathroom cabinet makeover, so I chose this Aveeno Sunblock Spray. But what about that other stuff? Let’s see. Cinnamate? None. Benzophenone? Zip. Camphor derivative? Not that I can tell.
So yay! I got lucky on that one, and more importantly so did the fish! Especially considering that I went swimming three or four times every day I was there
Saving the Earth, one dip in the ocean at a time.
Please sign Care2’s petition to Protect Ocean Life During International Year of the Reef.
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59 comments
add your comment »Thanks Jana. I never considered my sunscreen as harming fish, I'm guessing those chemicals are not great to be absorbed through the skin either. :)
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Not bad...
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Well, it is great expression of Law of Affinity-COEXISTENCE. Thanks!
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Sadly, some people tend to think "well, I don't go swimming in the ocean, therefore I am not contributing to this problem" which is not true at all. Anyone who wears sunscreen and showers (which I hope the majority does) contributes to the problem because when you wash it off of your body, it goes down the drain and eventually into the ocean. Oxybenzone and benzophenone are also at fault. Not only do thses chemicals and the ones listed above affect the coral, they have also been known to change the sex of a certain type of fish!!!! If it can do that to a fish, what is it doing to our bodies??? Buy natural.
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Personally, I wouldn't step foot in the ocean with all the garbage we've dumped into it - crude oil, other chemicals and millions of trash - it's despicable. I pity the oceanic environment more than any other out there.
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You made a good point. I don't think a lot of people realize that their sunscreen can hurt the fish. This is great info. Thankyou for bringing this to attention.
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I have been using the Juice Beauty: Organic SPF 30 Sheer Skin Moisturizer (no tint) and like it a lot. Although it's not meant to be waterproof, I find it does the trick and they say you should reapply sunscreen (even the waterproof kind) every hour or so anyway. I have searched far and wide for a waterproof sunscreen without the harmful chemicals and have come up empty. Even the Nature's Gate Aqua Block has parabens! So disappointing.
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I'm going diving in 2 weeks, and trying to find a commercial sunscreen made with only titanium dioxide or zinc oxide which doesn't irritate my skin has been tricky.
Burt's Bees left a wierd film, irritated my eyes, and made my arms peel, and did turn white on my skin
JASON Organics Earth's Best was better--a little eye irritation, the whiteness can be covered by mineral makeup. I still got a tan after 3 hours in a pool, though.
Juice Organics Light Tint Moisturizer: No eye irritation although it might be a little funky on my arms because of it's tint (although slightly better than the white cast from the others).
So far, nothing that is waterproof in the natural range. Grrr.
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I HAVE SENT A COMMENT REGARDING THIS "SCHOOLED IN SUNSCREEN" ARTICLE BEFORE. IT IS THE ONE DIRECTLY PRECEEDING THIS ONE OR #49 IN THE LIST."THERE ARE WAYS
TO GO TO THE BEACH AND ENJOY WITHOUT USING
HARMFUL LOTIONS",ETC,ETC. VIOLET Y.
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THERE ARE WAYS TO GO TO THE BEACH WITHOUT
DESTROYING THE NATURAL WAY OF THINGS AND INTERFERE WITH NATURE. BEWARE OF THE SUN,
KEEP YOUR TRASH WITH YOU AND LEAVE AS IF YOU HAD NOT BEEN THERE. IT WILL LAST LONGER
AND SO WILL YOU. VIOLET Y.
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