Happy Earth Day, everyone! Here at Gray Malin, we are so grateful to everything Mother Nature has to offer to us. An immediate example of this, of course, is without all her beauty, Gray wouldn’t have been able to create some of your favorite prints and we wouldn’t be here today talking about it! Although it’s easy to forget to give back to the environment every day, today serves as a great reminder of the importance of doing so. To make things a little bit easier, we’re rounding up some of our favorite ways you can make a difference in protecting our planet.
Donate to Help Save the Elephants
Elephants aren’t just the largest land animals on Earth, they’re also the focal point of some of the photos in one of our most popular series. The elephant populations in Africa and Asia have seen rapid declines as a result of poaching. It absolutely breaks our hearts thinking of something so sad being done to such a beloved animal, but there are ways you can help! One of the main reasons for Elephant Poaching is the ivory trade. Although many countries have banned ivory trade altogether, there is still an underground market for it. You can join the movement to end the ivory trade and save the elephants here.
Participate in a Beach Cleanup
It’s no secret that the ocean is a major source of inspiration to us at Gray Malin, but, unfortunately, not everyone respects and appreciates the ocean as much as we do. This fact becomes even more apparent when you step foot on just about any public beach these days. Ocean pollution is one of the main causes of death for so many ocean creatures, but if everyone makes a conscious effort to be responsible with our trash we could make a big difference. By participating in an organized beach cleanup or just even by picking up any trash youhappen see when you go to the beach, you could be making a big difference in the lives of whales, sea turtles, and many of your other favorite sea creatures. Learn more about beach cleanups in your area here.
Shop Smart
Shopping smart can be so, so simple. From bringing reusable bags with you to the market and buying organic produce to shopping from sustainable clothing brands, it’s truly important and easy to make smart shopping choices. Another way to do this is to look for brands that donate a portion of proceeds back to the environment. Patagonia is a great example of a brand that makes a conscious effort to give back to the environment in many different ways. Here at Gray Malin, we donate a portion of the sales from our iconic Antarctica series back to The Climate Reality Project.
Travel Green
If you’re planning a trip in the near future, consider making the choice to travel a little bit greener. Small things as simple as bringing a reusable water bottle with you while you travel, rejecting the complimentary toiletries in your hotel, and opting to not have your sheets changed every day of the trip can all add up to make a big difference in water conservation and waste reduction. Another way you can travel a little more green is by staying at environmentally conscious resorts. The Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte in beautiful Brazil is a stunning eco-friendly resort located just north of Salvador, Bahia. Located in exotic surroundings, the staff at this resort take special care to ensure that the natural environment is not harmed by the resort's presence.
Protect the Coral Reefs
Did you know that protecting the coral reefs can be as simple as changing your sunscreen? Oxybenzone, a chemical common in most sunscreens is what takes the suns harmful UV rays and turns them into harmless heat on human skin. However, even though oxybenzone is great for us, it isn’t so great for the coral reefs. In fact, it almost has a reverse effect. When mixed into the ocean water, oxybenzone actually inhibits the coral’s ability to resist bleaching. Switching to an oxybenzone-free sunscreen is a small change you can make that will make a big difference to life in the ocean. Our favorite Oxybenzone-free sunscreen is definitely this one.
We hope this post helped give you some insight on small ways you can effect big change in protecting our environment. Here’s to all of us living greener, happier, and healthier lives for many years to come!
Xx
Team GM