Ideal Bite: The Coast Is Clear

June 22, 2009 Trouble viewing this email? Read it online... CLEAN BEACHES The Coast Is Clear A little bit of ocean-consciousness goes a long way to keeping you and the planet ready to hit the beach year after year. Is the timing right for hitting the beach? Shore is - as long as it's clean. Before you slip into your suit (or not), check out which are least polluted and what you can do to keep 'em that way. Looking out for your beach body. Stay healthy by choosing a beach that tests lower for bacteria like E. coli. Observing more wildlife. Proper disposal of chems and litter helps keep your beaches cleaner and animals healthier (plastic waste alone kills 1 million sea birds and 100,000 sea mammals on U.S. coasts each year). Scoping out nicer beaches. Wouldn't you rather head to a beach that isn't a total gross-out? The trial surrounding an oil tanker that crashed into SF's Bay Bridge (and spilled 50,000 gallons of oil) is ongoing, and although local officials say the water's safe for swimming, none of the SF Biters are planning dips in the Bay anytime soon... NRDC and Surfrider - these orgs test beaches for water quality each year - find a clean one near you. Ocean Conservancy and Surfrider - volunteer a couple hours of your time to a beach cleanup; they'll provide all the gear you need. And to help make all your favorite beaches cleaner, no matter where you are: Remember to put garbage in a bin where it won't escape and end up downstream in rivers and oceans, since some animals may mistake it for food. Use eco-fertilizer and eco-pesticides on your garden and sweep rather than hose down your driveway to avoid sending runoff into storm drains and out to the ocean. Due to continental shifts, the Atlantic is getting about 1 centimeter bigger and the Pacific 1 centimeter smaller each year. SPONSOR SHARE           FORWARD TO A FRIEND           ADD TO MYBITES           BLOG WITH US           COMMENT ON THIS TIP EDITORIAL POLICY  |  PRIVACY POLICY  |  TERMS AND CONDITIONS PRESS KIT  |  ADVERTISE  |  CONTACT US Copyright 2009 Ideal Bite, Inc. 340 Brannan St. Ste 402 San Francisco, CA 94107