Green My Sunscreen. Why we choose eco-friendly sunscreen, Sunbutter

The first time I had the conscious thought of what sunscreen I was putting on my skin was when living on Hayman Island in the Great Barrier Reef. After seeing firsthand the devastating bleached coral on my weekly snorkelling trips, I did my research into how I could do my bit when stepping foot into the ocean. It was then I discovered how damaging some sunscreens can can be, not only for the underwater ecosystems but for my own health too. The more I dove into my slight sunscreen research obsession, I learnt Oxybenzone was one of many chemicals to steer away from and although Oxybenzone wasn’t present in my then Nivea sunscreen bottle, a whole lot of other ingredients I couldn’t pronounce were which were just as harmful.

I soon jumped ship and found Sunbutter Sunscreen, just in time for some overseas travel to the likes of Mexico where, although they didn’t have bans on certain chemicals in sunscreen, they did take extra care in not allowing any lathered bodies to enter their cenotes and when heading out to sea you must apply sunscreen on land, so you’ve had it on at least 20 minutes before swimming. Makes sense!

My sunscreen research came full circle when it came time to keep the Green My Plate team sun smart for our summer events. Although we weren’t swimming in the ocean, it was still super important to have a sunscreen brand that aligned with our eco-friendly values, kept our staff safe from the rays and any harmful chemicals. Dishes aside, we hope our extra detail towards sustainable products such as sunscreen also inspires the likes of our staff and supporters to make the change too. Afterall, with 14,000 tonnes of sunscreen washed into our oceans each year and our coral reefs sadly diminishing, we must make better choices.