The sun is without a doubt vital for human survival, including plants and the rest of the animal kingdom. A relevant effect that the sun has on us originates from the level of exposure to it, which doesn’t require being extreme in order to affect us negatively. A little sun could go a long way if we are not careful. Keeping that in mind, and the rest of living beings, we created Tropic Discovery.
UV, UVA, AND UVB
Sunrays contain something called “UV radiation”, which is part of the electromagnetic (light) spectrum that reaches the earth from the sun. It has wavelengths shorter than visible light, making it invisible to the naked eye. These wavelengths are classified as UVA, UVB, or UVC, with UVA the longest of the three (or the strongest as well). Most UVC is absorbed by the ozone layer and does not reach the earth, however, UVA and UVB, penetrate the atmosphere and play an important role in conditions such as premature skin aging, eye damage (including cataracts), and skin cancers. They also suppress the immune system, reducing your ability to fight off these and other maladies.
SKIN CANCER
According to The Skin Cancer Organization, "by damaging the skin's cellular DNA, excessive UV radiation produces genetic mutations that can lead to skin cancer. Both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization have identified UV as a proven human carcinogen. UV radiation is considered the main cause of nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These cancers strike more than a million and more than 250,000 Americans, respectively, each year. Many experts believe that, especially for fair-skinned people, UV radiation also frequently plays a key role in melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, which kills more than 8,000 Americans each year.
UVA is the dominant tanning ray, and we now know that tanning, whether outdoors or in a salon, causes cumulative damage over time. A tan results from injury to the skin's DNA; the skin darkens in an imperfect attempt to prevent further DNA damage. These imperfections, or mutations, can also lead to skin cancer".
"UVB, the chief cause of skin reddening and sunburn, tends to damage the skin's more superficial epidermal layers. It plays a key role in the development of skin cancer and a contributory role in tanning and photoaging. Its intensity varies by season, location, and time of day. The most significant amount of UVB hits the U.S. between 10 AM and 4 PM from April to October. However, UVB rays can burn and damage your skin year-round, especially at high altitudes and on reflective surfaces such as snow or ice, which bounce back up to 80 percent of the rays so that they hit the skin twice".
SPF
The fun part for us! SPF is the EFFICACY of a sunscreen for protecting us from the sun. SPF is not an amount of protection per se. Rather, it indicates how long it will take for UVB rays to redden skin when using a sunscreen, compared to how long skin would take to redden without applying it.
The range of an SPF 15 SUNSCREEN SCREENS 93 PERCENT of the sun's UVB rays.
The range of an SPF 30 SUNSCREEN SCREENS 97 PERCENT of the sun’s UVB rays.
The range of an SPF 50 SUNSCREEN SCREENS 98 PERCENT of the sun’s UVB rays.
According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, "SPF of 15 or higher are necessary for adequate everyday protection. For more extended or intense sun exposure, the Foundation recommends SPF of 30 or higher".
There are “man-made” (or chemical) SPF elements that are used on sunscreens to protect the skin from UV radiation, and probably the best known (and most controversial) is OXYBENZONE. Even though is approved by the FDA, there are still recent studies that show how this element can affect hormones on kids and teenagers. And since the sea is not the FDA’s jurisdiction and they temporarily approved ingredients based only on human contact, after relevant and reliable testing, it has been proven that OXYBENZONE is damaging the coral reefs.
As up to December of 2017 Maui’s leaders and its council kept working hard to pass a ban that would not allow products with OXYBENZONE and OCTINOZATE in them, to be sold or distributed on Maui County. On July 3rd, 2018 HAWAII MADE HISTORY AND BECAME THE FIRST ESTATE in the USA to pass legislation on this important matter. Tropical Discovery is supporting the ban, and we are doing everything in our power to protect our beautiful island too. BRAVO HAWAII!!!!!
CORAL REEFS
The truth of the matter is that many companies try to cut corners, and avoid expenses, even when our survival is at stake. Some might believe that the reefs have nothing to do with us, but they are paramount!, especially in Hawaii. According to the governmental agency NOAA, National Oceanic, and Atmospheric Administration, "coral reef declines will have alarming consequences for approximately 500 MILLION PEOPLE who depend on them for food, coastal protection, building materials, and income from tourism. This includes 30 million who are virtually totally dependent on coral reefs for their livelihoods or for the land they live on (atolls)."
"While it is difficult to put a dollar value on some of the benefits coral ecosystems provide, one recent estimate gave the total net benefit of the world's coral reef ecosystems to be $29.8 BILLION/YEAR. For example, the economic importance of Hawai`i's coral reefs, when combining recreational, amenity, fishery, and biodiversity values, were estimated to have direct economic benefits of $360 MILLION/YEAR. The global value above does not account for the economic value of deep-sea coral ecosystems, which, while less well studied and understood, also provide important ecosystem services. Deep-sea corals serve as hot-spots of biodiversity in the deeper ocean and their structure provides enhanced feeding opportunities, a place to hide from predators, a nursery area for juveniles, fish spawning aggregation sites, and a place for sedentary invertebrates to grow, much like their coral reef counterparts. These ecosystems have been identified as habitat for commercially important fishes such as rockfish, shrimp, and crabs. Deep-sea corals are also being targeted in the search for new medicines. The value of these services adds to the global value of coral ecosystems".
Online Resources:
Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network
MADE IN HAWAII
An honest Maui Company.
Ever since the concept of creating a Hawaiian inspired line was born in 2012, all our research, efforts and practices have been based on human, flora and fauna wellbeing. Honoring, the land, air, and the sea is one of our top priorities. The journey has been full of challenges, but it has been gratifying in every sense.
Our line of skincare products is just the start of a combination of healthy and fun merchandise design for you to join the Hawaiian vibe with a clean conscious. We are constantly adding products to our store, that follow our relaxed and natural way.
