by Krissian Martinez 

Today officially marks the second week of summer. At NYU that means temperatures in the high 80s, children jumping in the fountain in Washington Square Park, a sunset after 8pm, and stuffy subways. Outside of NYU, that means relaxing at the beach, tanning poolside, riding Jet Skis, snorkeling, and…not riding stuffy subways.

For those who are spending their summer near a body of water, the NYU Office of Sustainability has you covered with our eco-friendly, ethical and sustainable summer essentials! If you’re spending the summer on campus, don’t worry, there are plenty of beaches just a train ride away!

1. Summer Sunnies

These are from Warby Parker. They have so many different styles to choose from and for every pair of glasses sold, they distribute a pair to someone in need. Saving eyesight one pair of glasses at a time.

 

 

2. Water Bottle

 What’s worse than drinking warm water out of a plastic bottle on a hot day? Well, the fact that over 80% of plastic bottles end up in a landfill, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Still, no one likes warm water on a hot day, that’s why you should invest in a S’well bottle!

Not only do these aesthetically pleasing insulated water bottles reduce waste and keep your liquids hot for 12 hours or cold for 24 hours, a portion of each purchase provides clean drinking water to children around the world (thanks, UNICEF). By purchasing a reusable water bottle you will also be enjoying the tasty NYC tap water. Join the NYU Take Back the Tap campaign to promote safe drinking water and the use of reusable bottles over plastic.

3. Sandals

Even though you probably won’t wear sandals at the ocean (if you do, that’s cool too), you’re going to need some sandals to get to the ocean (or any other large body of water).

If you want to literally leave an eco-friendly footprint, then FeelGoodz are the sandals for you!

These sustainable, eco-friendly flip-flops are made from 100% natural rubber derived from actual Thai rubber trees (no trees are harmed in the making of these sandals).

 

4. Sunscreen

Sunburns are painful, peeling is not fun, and bad tan lines stick around for a while. This may not come as a surprise, but most sunscreen are filled with chemicals that aren’t very good for you or the environment. However, the conscious people at Goddess Garden Organics are changing the sunscreen game.

They make all-natural, 100% biodegradable sunscreen that is free of any harmful chemicals! If you’re going to be tanning on the beach, or snorkeling around sea life, we highly suggest you use biodegradable and reef-safe sunscreen!

5. Lip Balm

Since we’re on the topic of sun care, let’s not forget sun care for your lips. The folks at Loving Naturals have 100% organic, cruelty free, and EWGcertified SPF +30 lip balm!
Now that you have your bases covered, go out, cool off, and enjoy the beautiful outdoors! If you can’t make it out of the city or to a large body of water but still want to enjoy the outdoors, you should consider borrowing a bike at one of our Bike Share locations and going for a day ride somewhere scenic!

Krissian Martinez is the Programs Coordinator at NYU Office of Sustainability. She studies Neural Science and Chemistry in the College of Arts and Science. During her free time she enjoys sleeping in, visiting the blue whale at the American Museum of Natural History, and eating cheeseburgers.