Sunscreen Pollution, Over-tourism, and Ecologically Effective Solutions

Dr. Craig Downs, Executive Director of Haereticus Environmental Laboratory and Professor at Sorbonne University

Popular tourism locations can bring harm to local ecological resources, such as coral reefs, especially if they are not managed. A good example of this is the closing of Maya Beach in Thailand or Boracay Bay in the Philippines. With tourists come the use of sunscreens and other personal care products, resulting in pollution of not just beach waters, but wide expanses of coast lines. “Sunscreen pollution is a symptom of unsustainable tourism.” What are the chemicals that are toxic to wildlife and people, and how do they degrade our ecological resources? What concentrations do we find these chemicals in the environment, and at what levels do they pose a threat? One of the most effective ways of managing Sunscreen Pollution is through the partnership of Citizen Science Community Groups, local business groups, and local legislatures.

Monday, November 11, 2019

7:00 pm - doors open at 6:45 pm

Gates Performing Arts Center, HPA Upper Campus

Free and open to the public