There’s a certain math equation parents learn from the time their kids are very, very young.
Kids + Water + Sand = Hours of Fun
We’re very lucky to live only minutes from Lake Ontario. Since my boys were toddlers we would head down to the waterfront to spend hours and hours walking along the shoreline, throwing rocks in the water, building Inukshuks, hunting for fossils, and just simply enjoying being out in nature.
The one thing we didn’t ever do was go swimming because there were constantly beach water quality reports advising us not too.
How sad is that? To be so close to water and not able to go in.
Fast forward ten years and my boys are heading into their teen/tween years. Old enough to understand how everything we do has an impact on the planet. We do all we can to be environmentally friendly – recycle, take part in the green bin program, use refillable water bottles when we go out – and this year we rented a garden plot. I wanted the boys to really understand where their food comes from. Not from a shelf on the grocery store, but from the land. I also wanted them to learn that it takes really hard work but the rewards are immense.
If you’re sitting there with a “Huh” look on your face too, don’t feel bad. Every friend I spoke to had never heard of it either (and that’s a shame).
This comes directly from the Environmental Defense website:
"Blue Flag is a highly respected and recognized international eco-label. Blue Flags are awarded to beaches and marinas that meet strict criteria for water quality, environmental education, environmental management, and safety and services."
There are 26 beaches and 6 marinas in Canada that have achieved the Blue Flag status and three of these beaches are located in Ontario’s Southwest, less than a three hour drive from Toronto. They are:
Grand Bend,
Canatara Park, and
Port Stanley.
That means these beaches have achieved an excellent bathing water quality and undergo sampling regularly. The beach habitats are protected, there are activities to educate both the young and old on promoting sustainability, AND these areas are required to be safe and accessible for all ages and people with disabilities.
So why not choose a Blue Flag beach for your fun in the sun this year and come up with a brand new math equation.
Kids + Water + Sand + A Blue Flag Beach = Hours of Fun That’s Good For The Planet
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