When travelling to new dive spots and going on dive adventures, it is important to keep in mind the environment and culture of where we are and practice responsible tourism. These are some tips for being a responsible diver on holiday! 

1. Dive with operators that have a code of conduct - There are tons of dive operators out there that are keen to get you and anyone, out into the water. Being a responsible traveller means choosing to go with the ones that have an established code of conduct for marine life interaction, and therefore respect and strive for marine conservation.
2. Use a reusable water bottle - Something that is super simple yet super useful. Having your own water bottle will keep you hydrated as well as keep you from buying single-use plastic bottles.
3. Use reef-safe sunscreen - A lot of sunscreen brands contain chemicals that are harmful to coral growth. Purchasing reef-safe sunscreen and bringing it on your ocean adventures is an essential part of being a responsible traveller and diver.
4. Eat locally and seasonally - The transportation and storage of food that isn’t local or seasonally grown actually holds a high carbon footprint. Eating from local vendors is therefore more environmentally friendly, and let’s face it, it’s also a better cultural experience for everyone!
5. Only buy responsible souvenirs - Differing from place to place, souvenirs can sometimes come in the form of shells, coral, or even animal carcasses. Though these might be sold by local vendors, they are sometimes not ethically sourced. Thus, it might be a better option to choose souvenirs that don’t come from animals or are limited in nature.
6. Carbon offset your flights - When choosing your flights, aim to choose the ones that are labelled “green option” or “carbon neutral”.
7. Choose accommodation that strives for sustainability - Sites like booking.com have a badge displayed for places that have been accredited sustainable by a third party. This can help you in choosing accomodation that may be powered by renewables, have green waste management systems in place, and essentially strive for environmental sustainability in their facility.
8. Attend social initiatives - In places where there is diving, there are quite generally social initiatives in place for purposes of environmental and wildlife conservation. Whether it’s organised beach clean-ups, fundraising events, or education talks, participating in these happenings can be a cool way of learning about conservation and doing your part whilst on holiday!

Written by Kayli Wouters

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