Organic sunscreen: take care of your skin and the planet

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Who doesn't know the importance of using sunscreen to protect our skin from the sun's rays? However, perhaps we have never considered what effects that sunscreen can have on the planet . Especially in marine ecosystems. New call to action Some sunscreens have been proven to be harmful to the environment. In fact, according to a scientific study , one of the chemical components included in some of the creams that protect us from the sun, called "Benzophenone-3" and whose function is to filter harmful UVA rays , is negatively affecting coral reefs. and, in general, to the marine ecosystem. Did you know? For reasons like this, it is essential to begin to be aware that there are millions of people who crowd beaches and rivers during the rigors of summer and that part of that sunscreen ends up being diluted in the sea water. In other words, the problem of overpopulation that the world suffers, together with massive sun and beach tourism, produces marine pollution due to the amount of sunscreen we use. And its composition, of course. Do you want to know why and what you can do to avoid it? Don't miss this post! free guide eco-friendly life tricks Organic coral sunscreen New call to action Can a little cream really do that much harm? According to the study cited, a single drop of that compound, Benzophenone-3, diluted in six Olympic swimming pools, could already damage corals by accelerating their bleaching. But there is another fact: on busy beaches (like those in Hawaii) 190 kilos of sunscreen can reach the sea each year.

What do you think of this figure? Therefore, yes, sunscreen can do much more damage to marine ecosystems than we might think. There are thousands of drops from hundreds of thousands of bathers who, for several months and in some regions, reach the sea all year round. In fact, Hawaii has banned certain types of creams to preserve its ecosystems , those that contain some of the following compounds: oxybenzone, octinoxate, titanium dioxide or petrolatum . It is not the only initiative that is being taken to tackle India Phone Number List this serious problem. Companies dedicated to adventure tourism, such as Big Blue Unlimited, or purely tourist regions, such as the Riviera Maya, in the Mexican Caribbean, have also banned sunscreens that are harmful to marine fauna and flora. It is worth remembering that corals are essential for the health of our seas . Millions of different species live around them that could not survive if the corals disappear. There is a lot of life at stake! Types of sunscreens Before getting fully into the matter, you should know that sunscreens can use two types of filters: Physicists . They create a kind of protective screen between the sun's harmful rays and the skin, reflecting them. Technically they are called "mineral filters." In reality, it is not much different from wearing protective clothing, since what they do is prevent the rays from reaching the skin.



They are normally made with titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Chemical or organic . They absorb the sun's rays through a chemical process. Therefore, they do not reflect them, but assimilate them. In this way, the usual thing is that this energy is transformed into heat. Biodegradable sunscreens must contain physical filters, the first type. Being a mineral component, it can come out in the same way it enters the sea. Instead, chemical filters are absorbed by marine fauna and flora, which can alter your body composition. Obviously, the other components of the cosmetic also have to be biodegradable, not just the filters. Any cream that contains the following chemicals is a contaminant: octocrylene, benzophenone, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, hexylodecanol, dimethyl apramide, cetyl dimethicone, methylparaben, polyethylene, propylparaben or butylcarbamate . Therefore, we recommend that you read the composition of the sunscreen before purchasing it and check that it is not made with any of these components. In any case, the certifying organizations do that work for you and add their seal to products that are organic or eco , which will always give you some security that what you buy respects the environment and your body. Although it never hurts to check! Are biodegradable creams equally effective? Yes.