Visiting Hawai‘i? Pack these essentials to protect island ecosystems
Here’s a helpful list of what to bring to enjoy a sustainable, eco-friendly stay in Hawai‘i
✔ REEF-FRIENDLY CLOTHING
Hats, sunglasses, rash guards, board shorts, wraps, leggings, and other light clothing will keep your skin safe and reduce the amount of chemicals entering our ecosystems. The best way to protect yourself from the sun and protect Hawai‘i’s environment is to cover up.
»Is your sun protection reef-friendly?
»Reef-friendly sun protection guide
✔ MINERAL-BASED SUNSCREEN
It’s important to know that not all sunscreen products that claim to be eco-, ocean-, or reef-friendly or -safe actually are! The only way to be sure is to review the active ingredients. Mineral-based sunscreens containing zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide as the only active ingredient(s) are the only sunscreens you should bring to and use in Hawai‘i. Any other active ingredients can be harmful to coral health and reproduction, and possibly even your own. Whether you’re at the beach, going for a hike, or just cruising around town, remember to “Think Zinc” (or Titanium).
»Which sunscreens are reef-friendly?
✔ REUSABLE CONTAINERS AND UTENSILS
Please bring reusable beverage containers, shopping bags, and eating utensils on your trip. Bonus points if you bring reusable straws! Help us keep single-use plastics out of our landfills and from entering our land and ocean environments, where they can harm wildlife.
✔ PLASTIC-FREE TOILETRIES
If you haven’t tried dry or bar shampoos and conditioners, toothpaste tablets, bamboo toothbrushes, and other sustainably produced and packaged health and beauty products, consider packing some before your trip and trying something new! This helps reduce the demand for products in petroleum-based packaging provided by hotels and resorts and keeps them out of our landfills.
Did you know?
- Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are the only two active sunscreen ingredients that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers safe and effective? And scientific evidence indicates that oxybenzone and other petrochemical-based ingredients can be absorbed into the bloodstream and may have negative impacts on human health?
- Most retailers in Hawai‘i are prohibited from distributing single-use plastic shopping bags and non-recyclable paper bags? And petroleum-based take-out food containers and eating utensils are banned on some islands? O‘ahu | Hawai‘i Island | Maui, Molokai, Lāna‘i | Kaua‘i
- On some islands, there are no recycling programs for plastics (other than HI-5 beverage containers)? Learn what’s recyclable on each island and where.
- Hawai‘i has the highest rate of cesspool use in the country? What goes down the drain or the toilet could end up in our soils and waterways. This is a big reason why protective clothing and mineral-based sunscreens are recommended over petrochemical-based health and beauty products, even if you don’t plan on swimming or snorkeling.