In honor of Earth Day and our recent trip to Ohio for the Live Justice Summit, Brynna wanted to help me with today’s blog post. 

Earth Day Inspiration

During one of the sessions at the Live Justice Summit the girls were asked about a business idea they had. Brynna’s idea was to clean up our beaches to help save sea turtles and of course the environment. I love that she was inspired to bring her idea home and put it to work, it doesn’t necessarily have to become a business but just a way to get people to help clean up the beaches! 

Since the weather is finally getting warmer, it is the perfect time of the year to get everyone out of the house. I do my best to find ways to get both of my daughters to unplug from their electronics. Grabbing a bucket and picking up some trash on the beach only takes a few minutes but it could have a huge impact! Look what Brynna found in just 5 minutes of a beach clean up yesterday! 

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center

While Earth Day is traditionally about conservation and environmental activism, it is also a great time to have an experience that could teach your child about what he or she is passionate about. From Ohio and the Live Justice Summit we went directly on our Spring Break trip to Jekyll Island. We had planned on visiting The Georgia Sea Turtle Center while we were there but after learning how passionate Brynna was about saving the turtles I knew this was a place we definitely had to visit on our trip. I am so glad we did because it was truly an eye-opening experience! 

The Georgia Sea Turtle Center is located on Jekyll Island on the coast of Georgia, opened back in 2007. Not only is the center a rehabilitation facility and hospital for sea turtles, but it’s also an educational center raising awareness of the damage that has been done and steps we need to take in order to protect our environment. The center is both a working rescue center and an educational resource. Although we did learn a lot about the different types of sea turtles and their life cycles, we also learned so much more about the environment in general. 

Plastic

I was literally in shock when I read that it takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to break down. That’s astonishing – in a bad way! I was even shocked to realize how long it took biodegradable items to disintegrate, as I previously thought it happened a lot quicker. I definitely believe the more we are all aware of just how bad the situation, the more we can take action for the future of the environment.

Watching the operating room was very interesting. Spectators can’t hear what’s going on inside the room, but there is a white board that explains (in very simple terms) what they’re doing. While we were there we watched a turtle have his dressing changed, he was hit by car. Poor guy! 

After our visit to the to The Georgia Sea Turtle Center we realized that we can easily help save the turtles, and you can too! Start by picking up after yourself when you go to the beach, taking proper measures to recycle and reduce single-use plastics like straws, and to become an advocate! 

Brynna’s Beach Bucket Clean Up

An estimated hundreds of thousands of sea turtles die each year from ocean pollution, with many ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris. Hungry sea turtles love to snack on jellyfish, but sometimes they can mistake a plastic bag for a jellyfish, but in consuming this debris, sea turtles can suffer blockages in their digestive systems that may lead to their death. In other cases, plastic in their guts may damage a turtle’s ability to absorb food and nutrients, weakening the animal over time. These turtles need our help.

We know that there are others doing their part to help protect Earth and all the creatures and plants living on it. It is time we do our part as well!  So if you are heading to the beach, grab a bucket and pick up the not so lovely trash that others have left behind. What can you find in 5 minutes?

What is your favorite way to celebrate Earth Day and care for our planet?