Written By Genevieve Fuji Johnson

June is here and so are you. During the summer high season, Tofino welcomes around 70,000 visitors a month (InterVISTAS 2019, 8). That’s a lot of people for this tiny town and typically a lot of waste ending up on beaches, in waterways, and ultimately in the ocean. If you’re visiting this naturally gorgeous, culturally rich, and historically significant region, here are some tips from Surfrider Foundation Canada, Pacific Rim Chapter, for doing tourism responsibly. If you reside in the area, you might share these tips with visitors you’re hosting or put them to use on your own little camping get aways.

A good place to begin, for all of us who are settlers or who are Indigenous from other regions, is to know whose traditional and unceded lands you’re on and water you’re in. Respect the protocols of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations and work to be in good relations with them.

A basic principle promoted by Surfrider is to reduce single use plastics. One of the easiest ways of doing this is to reach for reusable food and drink containers. Pack your own cutlery, wrapping it in a napkin from home or in beeswax food wrappers. When shopping for supplies, consider items with the least amount of packaging. Try to avoid “travel size” toiletries. Instead, buy products in large containers. It’s easy enough to transfer the contents into smaller, reusable containers for overnight trips.

Surfrider also encourages caring for marine life and ecosystems. Wherever possible use biodegradable, non-toxic products. For example, look for sunscreen that doesn’t contain chemicals like oxybenzone, which is harmful to ocean inhabitants. Use

eco-friendly insect repellent, which will not only protect your skin from nasty chemicals but will also protect the environment. When cleaning your dishes, try plant-based soaps and, if camping near the ocean, dispose of greywater below the highwater mark. If you’re around lakes, rivers, and creeks, dispose of your dirty dish water 70 meters away.

Another core value for Surfrider is respecting wildlife. However tempted you may be, never feed wild animals. Feeding wildlife has detrimental consequences for their health and exposes them to a range of other dangers. Keep in mind that a human-fed bear is likely to be a dead bear. In the last year alone, many bears were euthanized because of conflict with humans. If you have the privilege of spotting marine mammals, you are required by federal law to stay a safe distance away – which may be up to 400 meters, depending on the mammal. If you have your pooch in tow, make sure they don’t harass the birds!

Like other environmental organizations, Surfrider implores packing it in and out, and leaving no trace. Of course, this applies to your garbage and recycling, but it also applies to the waste your body creates. Seek out established bathrooms, outhouses, and pit toilets. Otherwise, dig a small hole, 15 to 20 cm deep, at least 60 meters away from camp, trails, drainages, and water. Once buried, your poop will be taken care of by nature. Make sure you pack out your used toilet paper, menstrual products, and condoms. If you are considering a campfire, you must comply with local bylaws and provincial laws. As an alternative to driftwood, which when burned releases toxins into the environment, purchase local firewood or bring it from home. Salvaging wood from blowdown lots is another alternative. Burn your wood down to ashes, and scatter these in the ocean. Hang on to your cigarette butts for recycling and don’t forget your bottle caps and beer can tabs. 

When out and about on local beaches or further afar, why not do a Five-Minute Beach Clean? Sign on to the Marine Debris Tracker App and log your collection of discarded items, which will likely include a handful of microplastics. Surfrider uses this data to advocate for policy change, including banning plastic bags, cutlery, and water bottles. Take a picture of your bounty and post to social media with #5minutebeachclean. 

What you should leave, as you find them, are rocks, plants, shells, sand dollars, and other natural objects. These are all important parts of coastal ecosystems. The removal of large shells and large shell fragments can negatively affect marine ecosystems and increase the rate of shoreline erosion.

By supporting Surfrider, you can help us build on these daily activities to make policy change at the local, provincial, national, and international levels. If you’re in the Tofino area on a longer-term basis, consider joining our crew of volunteers. If you’re visiting, consider making a cash donation at https://www.pacificrim.surfrider.org. If you’re a repeat visitor, like so many of us are, consider becoming a monthly donor. Surfrider Pacific Rim is a chapter of Surfrider Foundation Canada, which is a registered charity. Even small contributions go a long way toward helping us develop ocean friendly programs, protect marine life, minimize plastics, and keep these spectacular beaches clean. Receipts for tax purposes are available.

Resources:

Tla-O-Qui-Aht Tribal Parks: https://tribalparks.com

Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council: https://nuuchahnulth.org

Friends of Clayoquot Sound: https://focs.ca

Marine Education and Research Society: https://mersociety.org

InterVISTAS, Economic Impact of Tourism in Tofino, BC, prepared for Tourism Tofino, March 2019.

Genevieve is Treasurer of Surfrider Foundation Canada, Pacific Rim Chapter. She divides her time between the traditional and unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations and those of the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation. She loves writing, sewing, and learning to surf.