Thereโs nothing quite like a delicate coastal region to remind us all of the vulnerability of the planet, and thereโs nothing like a tourist town to remind us all to check in with our disposable mindsets.
The Outer Banks of North Carolina (OBX) are both of those things: a coastal region and a popular tourist destination โ and so much more. These 200 miles of beautiful barrier islands float between the Atlantic Ocean and a series of inlets and host a residential population of only about 55,000.
Itโs a place where you know the difference between actual neighbors and โneighborsโ who are โnot here for a long time but a good time.โ Itโs a place where wind direction and daily surf reports take priority over just about everything else โ especially working, wearing shoes, and washing your hair (sorry, HiBAR). Itโs a place thatโs, โin some ways, divorced from the rest of the country. But in other ways, perhaps more real because youโre so intertwined with nature.โ
With an average elevation of three feet above sea level and a width of only 150 yards (at its thinnest point), itโs safe to say this place is not only extremely unique โ but uniquely vulnerable to human impacts.ย So, whatever you may call the Outer Banks...
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The Graveyard of the Atlantic
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Home of The Lost Colony
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Home of the First Flight (Ohio folks, we know this is a sore spot.)
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Stomping Grounds of John B and company (Thank you, Netflix.)
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A Model of the 2021 Ford Bronco
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Summer Vacation Destination
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Home
...right now, I hope we can all think of the Outer Banks as a beautiful reminder of the vulnerability of this planet. At the end of the day, we (not locals, not vacationers, but humans) are all tourists in this place we call Earth. But itโs time we stop treating it like a place weโre just passing through.
How does the disposable mindset impact the Outer Banks?
As someone who grew up vacationing on the Outer Banks and now lives here full time, I know how much your respect can grow for this place once you start to call it home. I know that vacationers will never really understand that feeling, just like Iโll never really understand what it feels like to have generations of family history tied to these islands.ย
But I think all OBX residents can agree โ itโs easy to get completely overwhelmed by the impacts of unsustainable behaviors on these incredible islands once youโre here long enough to experience the effects. Severe weather, rising sea levels, eroding shorelines, dead animals washing ashore, insurmountable amounts of human waste, and more โ are enough to make anyone feel like โsustainabilityโ and โsaving the planetโ are far out of reach.
But if Iโve learned anything in my own sustainability journey, itโs that anything is better than nothing. Small efforts, the right mindset, and time โ in conjunction with the concept of strength in numbers โ is where real, lasting change starts.ย
Thatโs why today, I want to focus on a direct, preventable issue that burdens the Outer Banks and the rest of the world: the disposable mindset.
Each year, these islands host over 2 million vacationers during the summer โ and all the waste that comes along with them. To paint a picture of the impacts of this waste, the Ocean Conservancy has led the International Coastal Cleanup for over 30 years. In 2019 alone, volunteers cleaned up 83,439 pounds of trash along the 408 miles of the NC coastline. The Outer Banks beaches make up roughly half of those miles.
Now, imagine the volume of waste that gets carried to the water by the wind and tides before we can ever intercept it. Hint: the Atlantic's total plastic load is estimated at around 220.4 million tons. So the question is, why arenโt we all doing something about it? Another hint: Weโre immune to our own disposable mindsets until we see the impacts in action.
But hereโs the thing. This concept has a whole new meaning in tourist destinations like the Outer Banks. Most people donโt ever see their impacts in action because theyโre in and out of here in the blink of an eye. (Well, not exactly. Because the Outer Banks arenโt meant to accommodate this many people, it can take two hours to drive 1.5 miles in summer traffic here. But thatโs a story for another day.) Anyways, you get my point. Visitors get to drive away from their impacts.
Well, as someone whoโs โstuck here on purpose,โ hereโs a glimpse into some of those impacts in your rearview mirror. (Sidenote: when I say โyourโ rearview mirror, itโs not personal. I donโt really mean you. I have no idea if youโre an OBX resident, a vacationer, or an innocent bystander who just loves HiBARโs shampoo bars because, well, they are lovable. Iโm just obsessed with the words โyouโ and โyourโ because Iโm a copywriter.) Okay, back to those unseen impacts โyouโ leave behind:
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I walk down my street on a rental turnover day in the summer. I see recycling bins overflowing with beverage containers and trash bursting with beach equipment (boogie boards, umbrellas, chairs, kites, shovels, and buckets) that was only used for one week.
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I walk down the beach in November and donโt see a single human. Yet I unexpectedly pick up so much trash along the way that my hands and arms hurt from holding everything.
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I receive an email in the winter to vote for a new trash pickup schedule that will (hopefully) be able to handle picking up the amount of trash that will come from the upcoming record volume of visitors. Because last year, it couldn't.
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I read about a Corolla Wild Horse that just died after choking on an apple. Danny, a yearling colt, died a completely preventable death โ a reminder to respect the wildlifeโs space and to never leave trash behind.
As someone who has only lived here for a few years, I really feel for the locals whose ties to these islands span across generations. The people who have aerial photos of their homes with no other homes in sight. The people whose grandparents bought land for cents per acre when most of the roads here didnโt even exist. The people who have seen all of the impacts of human waste and development unravel on this once-untouched safe haven.
How can you help?
One of the greatest things you can do for the Outer Banks (and the planet) is...
Ditch the disposable mindset.
Be mindful of the fact that the Outer Banks themselves have no idea how beautiful they are or why humans find them so appealing. Here are a few suggestions to help you ditch the disposable mindset when visiting the Outer Banks and inspire change in the rest of your life, too:
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Pack as many plastic-free, zero-waste items as you can, like HiBARโs zero-waste shampoo + conditioner Continue these sustainable swaps outside of vacation, too!
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Get comfortable with these plastic-zapping mindset shifts.
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Rent your beach equipment instead of buying.
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Buy growlers of beer, cider, and seltzer from local spots to cut down on beverage waste.
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Always use reusable bottles and cups.
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Stop using disposable face masks.
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Seek out restaurants that use eco-friendly packaging.
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Commit to leaving the beach cleaner than you found it.
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You can snap a photo of your quick beach cleanup and tag @obx5minutebeachcleanup on Instagram for a chance to be featured + win prizes.
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Volunteer for an organized beach cleanup (and other coastline conservation efforts) through organizations like the Surfrider Foundation: Outer Banks, North Carolina Coastal Federation, and Better Beaches OBX.
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These are only a few examples. But once you begin rethinking your habits, mindful, sustainable choices will become second nature. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, these beaches see millions of visitors and tens of thousands of pounds of trash every year. Every single effort, no matter the size, is greatly needed and appreciated.
Protect what you love.
As we speak, the Outer Banks are experiencingย another record-breaking flood of vacationers. Whether youโre planning to visit these delicate islands, or their unique and beautiful vulnerability strikes a chord with you, just rememberโฆ
The Outer Banks, in tandem with the planet, deserve to be treated as more than just objects in the rearview.
About the Author
Jordan Horwat is a freelance sustainability copywriter. As someone who grew up visiting the Outer Banks every year since birth and is now a full-time resident, sheโs what locals call โa transplant.โ She respects that. Nonetheless, Jordan loves learning and writing about all things sustainability + OBX and wants nothing more than for everyone to respect and protect this place as much as they love it.
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About the Photographer
Gayle T. Tiller has been capturing the rare beauty of the Outer Banks for 30 years. Her expertise ranges from family beach portraits to food photography, but as you can see, she can photograph anything. As a long-time, free-spirited beach bum (in the best sense of the term), Gayle is uniquely connected to these islands, and that shows through her lens.
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