Inland Ocean Ambassador Writes on Reef-Safer Sunscreens
Summertime is the season for sunshine and beach days — take advantage of the warm weather and get out and play! Of course we know the sun is strong, and we have to protect our skin from intense UV rays.
At Inland Ocean Coalition, we promote seeking safety from the sun in ways that won’t cause harm to our aquatic environments! Take it from Nicole Castilla, graduate from our Spring 2025 Inland Ocean Ambassador Cohort and Marketing Director of Seaside Sustainability. Nicole lives in Florida, so knows the importance of safer sunscreens!
Read Nicole’s blog, which she wrote for the Youth Environmental Alliance, and explains all about sunscreens and their impact on the environment!
As she writes: There are hundreds of different kinds and brands of sunscreen out there, but did you know some can actually greatly damage the ocean’s reefs (and you too)? Many brands of sunscreen contain harmful chemicals and ingredients that are toxic to both the ocean and humans. Although some sunscreens are labeled as “reef friendly,” that does not always equate to being reef safe. The only way to truly know if a sunscreen is in fact reef safe is by looking at the active ingredients list, which can usually be found on the back of the bottle.
Nicole even gives a shoutout to one of IOC’s favorite sunscreen brands, Stream2Sea! Use code Inland20 when you purchase to kick back a portion of your total to support IOC’s programming.
Nicole Castilla is an Inland Ocean Ambassador, marine biologist, and science content creator based in South Florida. She currently works as the Marketing Director for Seaside Sustainability. She has had a deep care for the ocean and all its incredible sea life since she was very young, and loves spending time around and in the water, immersing herself in the amazing world under the waves.
