Each year on April 22, we celebrate Earth Day as a present-day reminder to take care of our planet and to mark the anniversary of the birth of the modern day environmental movement that began in 1970, which gave voice to the concerns about the state of our planet. Earth Day is not just a single day on the yearly calendar, though. It’s a daily mindset. Each and every day provides an opportunity for us all to take better care of this place we call home.

In honor of Earth Day, we’re sharing some tips on how to have a more eco-friendly beach vacation and how to go green even when you’re traveling. We also have some Indian Rocks Beach vacation rental recommendations for you at the end of this post. 

We thank you in advance for every little thing you do during your time here to keep the Florida Gulf Coast as beautiful and sustainable as it can be, both now and in the years to come. Remember the three Rs no matter where you are: reduce, reuse, recycle!

ECO-FRIENDLY TIPS FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE INDIAN ROCKS BEACH VACATION

Recognize that your beach vacation destination is a home to others

Your beach vacation is temporary for you, but it’s also a permanent home for many. This includes the area’s permanent human residents—in addition to the local wildlife and plant life. A wonderful first step in being an eco-friendly beach goer and vacationer is to recognize this, and then learn more about how best to respect the local habitat and inhabitants. 

Check out our previous blog posts about the local wildlife: 

• sea turtles
• dolphins
• manatees
• sand dollars
• starfish and sea stars

Take advantage of your Indian Rocks Beach vacation rental kitchen

Skip the throw-away plastic-ware while on vacation and instead opt for the reusable silverware, plates and cups available to you in your vacation rental kitchen. Go ahead and skip the plastic straws, too, since they’re one of the top 10 items found during beach cleanups. Invest in a stainless steel straw for each of your family members and the planet will thank you. Remember to bring your own refillable stainless steel water bottles to avoid buying the plastic disposable ones while you’re traveling.  All of these little things make a really big difference.

Choose locally-sourced Florida Gulf Coast restaurants and shops

When you shop and eat local, you and your family are not only supporting the local economy but also reducing the carbon footprint, since not as much fuel is burned to import these items from place to place. Go local as often as you can! Strike up a conversation with the business owners and learn more about what you’re buying and where it came from. 

Bike your way around Indian Rocks Beach

Your Plumlee Indian Rocks Beach vacation rental comes with the perk of free bikes for daily use. Take advantage of this eco-friendly way to see the sights around town, and get some exercise too. Skip the Uber ride and try walking or biking if it’s feasible for you and your family to do so. 

Leave no trace

It’s as simple as leaving the beach looking as it was before you got there—or better! Be mindful of what you’re leaving behind every time you and your family leave the beach. Hopefully, it’s only footprints in the sand. Do a double-check to make sure no trash has been left or blown down the beach, pick up any stray belongings that may have been left behind, and please fill in any holes you’ve dug in the sand (this helps eliminate obstacles for the sea turtles and other wildlife). You can even go the extra step of picking up other people’s trash if you see it and disposing of it properly. 

Read the beach signs

There are signs posted that contain valuable information for your beach day, and they are there to help. Take a few moments with your family to read and review the local beach signs and discuss the information so that everyone is aware and on the same page when it comes to what’s permitted or not permitted. Being proactive is key.

Refrain from feeding the local wildlife

As we touched on earlier in this article, the Gulf of Mexico and its beaches are home to many different species of wildlife from shorebirds and crustaceans to fish and mammals. It’s best to avoid touching and feeding the local wildlife. Encourage your kids to observe what’s all around them but not to disturb. You are visitors to their home, so try to be respectful guests. (This is a wonderful topic to strike up conversation with your family about what this means and ways to show respect for the environment.)

Bring reusable containers for your beach food

Skip the prepackaged food and plastic bags as much as you can, and instead choose reusable containers to bring to the beach. Plastic bags and packaging tend to blow away easily and quickly become beach litter that endangers the local wildlife. Don’t forget to bring those refillable water bottles, too.

INDIAN ROCKS BEACH VACATION RENTALS THAT MAKE IT EASY TO GO GREEN