From loggerheads to leatherbacks, turtles are ancient mariners that have survived the test of time. But now more than ever, human activities are testing their ability to survive. Today, nearly all species of sea turtles are endangered as a result of habitat destruction, climate change, poaching, and accidental entanglement. But there are a number of steps that you can take to protect these stunning creatures.

According to Kelly Thorvalson, the South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Rescue Program Manager, historically the biggest threats to sea turtles have been commercial fisheries and habitat destruction along the coast, but in recent years, other threats are becoming more of an issue.

“Ocean pollution is at its highest ever and more and more turtles are turning up with plastic in their guts,” says Thorvalson. “Rising sea levels are also becoming a threat as is ocean acidification which may thin the shells of crustaceans that turtles feed on.”

If you love sea turtles as much as we do, why not take some simple steps to protect them?

1. Cut out the plastic

Sea turtles can’t tell the difference between a plastic bag and a jelly fish, one of their favorite foods. As a result they end up eating plastic bags, which can injure or kill them.

“We’re producing an insane amount of waste which ends up in our oceans,” says Thorvalson.

Plastic does not decompose, it just breaks down to smaller pieces which can be ingested or can entangle sea turtles. One of the simplest means of protecting sea turtles is by cutting out the plastic that threatens their very survival.

2. Use biodegradable cleaners

Toxic cleaners can pollute water systems and kill marine life. Dispose of your chemicals properly and then switch to biodegradable cleaners that are safe for marine life.

3. Turn out lights visible from the beach

Baby sea turtles use the light of the moon to find their way to the ocean. If you live by the beach and keep your home lights bright at night, you could confuse the little guys, which can cause them to more easily get lost or become the victim of predators. Artificial light in homes can also discourage female turtles from nesting. If you do keep your lights on, close your blinds to reduce the glare as much as possible.

4. Avoid nesting sites

In populated areas, sea turtle nesting sites may often be roped off to avoid human interference. But either way, avoid sea turtle nesting sites. Be aware of where the nesting sites are so you can avoid trampling on them. When female turtles emerge from the ocean looking for a place to nest, do not disturb them. If you do encounter a sea turtle, remain calm and quiet and avoid them. If you frighten a female sea turtle, she may end up trying to escape back into the ocean instead of nesting on the beach.

5. Clean up the beach

Trash often ends up on our beaches where it confuses baby sea turtles trying to make their way to the ocean. Whether you participate in group beach clean-ups periodically or you walk the beach every so often to help clean up, remove trash that can be destructive to a sea turtle’s habitat.

6. Fill in beach holes

The goal is to avoid any sort of beach obstacle course for turtles. When baby sea turtles hatch from their eggs on the beach, you want them to make it to the ocean without becoming confused or getting caught in an ocean hole. If you dig a hole in the sand, fill it in before you go home. If you build a sand castle, knock it down before leaving the beach.

7. Remove beach furniture and umbrellas

Beach chairs, umbrellas, and tents are another hindrance that can keep baby sea turtles from making their way to the ocean when it’s time to start swimming. Remove them at the end of the day, fill in the holes, and never leave them on the beach overnight when the little guys may be making their journey to the ocean.

8. Don’t construct beach fires during hatching season

Sea turtles are known for being attracted to light. Sadly, in some cases, they can crawl into the fire. It’s just not worth the risk during hatching season. The loggerhead sea turtle nesting season is from May to October in South Carolina, but it varies from place to place.

9. Leave turtle tracks untouched

If you see what you think may be turtle tracks on the beach, don’t touch them. Turtle tracks are a great way for researchers to conduct population research, which has become very important because so many species are classified as endangered.

10. Be alert when boating

When you’re boating, be alert. Be particularly careful not to run aground near the marsh where collision is more likely. Stay in channels and avoid dropping anchors by coral reefs. According to Thorvalson, in South Carolina boat strikes are the biggest immediate threat to sea turtles.

11. Reduce your carbon footprint

Thorvalson says that rising sea levels are set to take a serious toll on sea turtles. Reducing your carbon footprint is the single biggest way you can help them. Sea level rise and storm surge both negatively impact the lives of turtles. Take personal responsibility for the amount of carbon that you produce. Here’s how you can start reducing your carbon footprint today.

What are you doing to reduce your carbon footprint? What about celebrating Earth Day? Are you protecting endangered sea turtles? We want to know! Drop us a line via Twitter @EcoSalon.

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The new V.Cological for Sea Turtles Collection gives back to the Sea Turtle Restoration Project. 

Surf and skatewear label Volcom launched it’s V.Cological Collection back in 2007, offering a range of clothing to “protect our planet’s rapidly shrinking natural resources.” With summer season and beach time around the corner, the ladieswear designers decided to put together a cute collection of ocean and sea turtle-themed tees, dresses, shorts, bikinis and flip flops. Not only are these cute digs perfect for warm weather, but a percentage of proceeds from the collection will go toward helping save the seriously endangered sea turtles.

All of the items in the V.Cological collections are made out of organic cotton, hemp, recycled polyester and recycled nylon. Sustainable and more environmentally friendly components like vegetable dyes, organic stains and other low impact production methods are used for the collection, which combines laid-back Volcom styling with an environmentally clear conscience.

The V.Cological series was initially set up to partner with 1% For the Planet, meaning that 1 percent of all sales of the collections are donated to 3,000 global environmental organizations. In addition to partnering with 1% For the Planet, the most recent Girls collection is donating 5 percent of proceeds to the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.

Sea turtles are majestic creatures that have lived on this planet for much longer than us – nearly 150 million years. There are currently seven species of the sea turtles dwelling in the Earth’s large bodies or water, all of which are endangered or threatened. The population of the most endangered species, the Leatherbacks, has declined by more than 95 percent in just the last 25 years. The Sea Turtle Restoration Project aims to protect and re-establish sea turtles populations through several campaigns around the world. 

Images: Volcom, fredsharples

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ColumnFrom tuna to turtles, some cultural food traditions create such egregious ethical and environmental consequences, they can never be justified.

When is a cultural tradition a legitimate reason to continue to consume something that’s environmentally problematic? When is it just a convenient excuse to keep eating whatever we want or to keep a lucrative trade going? The examples that follow may not answer that question, but they will certainly get you thinking about the issue.

A Big Beef

At a deli referendum last year, the discussion around the sustainability and history of Jewish food traditions centered on the giant pastrami sandwiches served at Jewish delis. Panelists like Michael Pollan reflected on the fact that what people think of as a long-standing food tradition is really a relatively new tradition borne out of post-war prosperity and abundance. The panel discussed the wisdom of serving and eating smaller sandwiches made from more responsibility raised beef less often. Such a practice would not only be better for the environment and our health but would be more in line with older Jewish food traditions that treated meat as a special occasion food.

Fin Free

California legislators are in the midst of considering AB 376, a bill that would ban the sale, possession, and trade of shark fins in the state. The opposition has spent millions to convince legislators and voters that banning the trade in shark fins would be racist. Shark fin soup is a traditional dish served at Chinese banquets, but it’s only relatively recently that a wide swath of middle class population has enjoyed the dish. The popularity of shark fins today is causing the decimation of the shark population. This is not only a tragedy in itself, but the practice of ripping the fins off of sharks and tossing the live sharks back in the water to die is cruel. Whether or not you care about sharks, as top predators, they are crucial to the health of the ocean ecosystem, and by extension, our survival.

Sushi Shame

Despite the fact that the Blue Fin tuna population has declined nearly 90% since the 1970s and is considered endangered by most ocean advocacy groups, if not the US Government, it still appears on the menus of most sushi bars. Why? Because it’s one of the traditional fish used in sushi, it’s delicious, and people will pay a lot of money for it. Is that enough reason to decimate an entire population of a majestic top ocean predator?

Turtle Trade

Some questions of food traditions vs. environmental conservation are a little more complicated. Sea turtle meat and eggs are important culinary traditions in many parts of Latin America. Most species are protected, but there are some indigenous communities who have the right to hunt turtles in their territory for their own consumption. In Costa Rica, residents who have few other income opportunities, are allowed to harvest a small proportion of sea turtle eggs to sell. Unfortunately, both of the above types of arrangements often lead to illegal poaching and high black market prices, which just feeds the problem.

Are there any situations in which cultural food traditions should trump environmental concerns?

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

Images: cephalopodcast, divekarma, sly06, Pink Sherbert Photography, Ingrid Taylar, istolethetv

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