Do the Right Thing
Use the Right Sunscreen
Plastic straws, bags and bottles are not the only man-made items damaging our oceans. Certain sunscreen ingredients cause genetic damage to corals and other marine animals, increase severity of coral bleaching, a sign of stress.
Five years ago, scientists started to uncover the effects of sunscreen on marine life and coral reefs. Studies published this February found that the sunscreen ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate negatively affect marine life, coral reef and human health.
“That’s why the Florida Keys, beginning with the City of Key West, will ban the sale of any sunscreen with those ingredients in 2021,” says Alex Risius of Reef Relief, a Keys-based nonprofit dedicated to improving and protecting the coral reef ecosystem.
The Keys took notice when Hawaii banned such sunscreens starting in 2021. Dr. Craig Downs from Hawaii began his research on the two ingredients and Reef Relief teamed up with him frequently before initiating the ban in the Keys, she says.
Reef Relief is “talking to people why those sunscreens are being banned and are unhealthy for us, and putting people’s minds at ease about the ones that are safe,” says Risius. They recommend using sunscreen with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, both mineral-based sunscreens that don’t soak into the skin and are safe for coral reefs.
“People can already get these mineral-based sunscreens at places like Walgreens and Publix, and they’re not expensive like everyone believes,” she says. “There are mineral-based sunscreens in spray form and for the face, too.”
Nearly 50 percent of the sunscreens on the market were already compliant with the upcoming ban. And people are already adapting to the change.
“The large commercial boating companies in the Keys are already partnering with the mineral sunscreen companies and providing it for customers and educating them on it,” she says.
In addition to the brands pictured above, Reef Relief recommends these sunscreen products:
Absolutely Natural
All Good Products
Badger Balm
Caribbean Sol
Cotz
Kokua Suncare
Little Hands Hawaii
Mama Kuleana
Manda
Raw Elements USA
Red Gecko
Suntegrity Skin Care
Surf Durt
Wax Head
YeaBah
Find out more from Reef Relief.
Reorganize Thoughtfully
Just call Jessica DeSiato, founder of Thoughtfully Organized, the Marie Kondo of South Florida. She’s made it her life’s mission to help individuals and families get their homes in shape.
A former mental health therapist, she gave up her career to be a stay-at-home mom to two daughters. During that time, she decided to start a blog on organizing so she could have flexibility and still be involved in her kids’ school functions. That turned out to be the best idea.
“I started my blog in April 2017 and got my first contract in May 2017. It was at one of my daughter’s school functions when a father approached me about organizing his office,” she says. “I ended up organizing his law office.”
Since then, business has been booming, with DeSiato racking up client after client asking her to work her magic organizing their spaces.
She shares her secrets for organizing your kitchen.
- First, remove everything from the pantry, cabinets and drawers. Throw out expired food, then group like items – all pastas, all sauces, canned goods, oils and spices, chips and cookies and so on.
- Next, put boxed and bagged items in clear containers. For oils and sauces, turntables or lazy Susans work best and can be used in both fridge and pantry as well as under the kitchen sink. Clear, acrylic bins are her first choice.
- Label all items to make them easy to find.
- When grocery shopping, take a photo of all items in the pantry and refrigerator. This helps when shopping and planning to reference what you need.
- Usually refrigerators have two drawers, so label all items in both the produce and deli drawers. Use the same types of organizers you use in the pantry in these drawers. Label meats and cheeses and use turntables with a lip for sauces and condiments so they stay put.
- Kitchen drawers get drawer inserts that are divided especially the ones that are expandable so there’s no wasted space. This also eliminates the junk drawer.
- She recommends The Container Store, M Designs for turntables, acrylic containers and baskets, Amazon for two-day shipping and Home Goods for OXO containers and expandable drawers.
DeSiato says being organized is an asset even for kids. “The best gift you can give your child is teaching them how to be organized,” she says. “It’s something that can help them out in life. In my own home I use big letters when labeling, so there’s no possible way they don’t know where something goes.”
Organizing can help put houses and minds in order. “My clients always tell me they feel like they did a therapy session, they say they feel so much lighter.” she says. “With a clear place, comes a clear mind. Things get cloudy when there’s a mess.”
There are similarities between her former career as a mental health therapist and her current business. “With mental health, I was able to help people overcome problems in their life. I’m doing the same thing with this new career, but I’m giving it to them in five hours. It makes me happy to know that I’ve given them a clear mind,” she says.
Learn more at Thoughtfully Organized.
Spark Joy in the Kitchen
Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has inspired many to re-think their cluttered homes by examining an object and asking if it brings joy. If not, it’s time to thank that crepe pan for its service and find a new home for it. These organizations accept kitchenware, tableware, small appliances, utensils and other cooking odds and ends.
Goodwill South Florida
Habitat ReStore Broward, Miami-Dade, Florida Keys
Lotus House
Salvation Army
Women in Distress
Local chapters of Les Dames d’Escoffier periodically host culinary garage sales and flea markets:
Les Dames d’Escoffier Miami
Les Dames d’Escoffier South FL
Go Zero Waste
Pam Barrera and Martha Balaguer were fed up with seeing so much consumer waste. They decided they needed to stop complaining and create a solution to the problem. Their solution: Verde Market in downtown Miami’s Edgewater neighborhood.
In this light, clean space, customers can bring their containers to the brick and mortar store and fill them with bulk items like freshly squeezed orange juice, nuts, local raw honey, kombucha, dried fruits, super foods, nut butters, grains, loose-leaf teas, oils, vinegars and dog treats. Verde Market also sells natural soaps, feminine products, fabric softener, laundry detergent, shower gel, bamboo cutlery, hairbrushes and toothbrushes, and nut milk made fresh on the spot.
The shop, which opened last May, was funded with money from their 401Ks. Their road to sustainability is a process, Barrera says. “This is all from scratch, completely from nothing. We want to be sustainable in the whole process, not just for the consumer,” Barrera says. “The bigger we get, the more we can pressure our providers to become more sustainable. That our commitment and what we’re looking for.”
Find out more at Verde Market.
