Green Outer Banks
Living Lightly On Our Land & Sea
By Shirley Mozingo

The quiet beach communities of the Outer Banks have a deep connection to the ocean and to nature. While visitors to the island may be familiar with local eco-friendly activities such as kayaking, hiking and biking through natural habitat, they may not know of behind-the-scenes initiatives that promote eco-awareness and help protect the environment they enjoy. Here are some of them:

• Buxton, Manteo, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk all have drop-off centers for recycling. Southern Shores and Kitty Hawk offer recycling pickup. For a nominal fee, Outer Banks Hauling provides recycling pickup to resident and absentee homeowners in Dare and Currituck counties.

• Many local home builders are now recycling construction debris, using renewable materials and getting LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

• Several towns are participating in beach nourishment and working to control storm-water runoff.

• Kill Devil Hills launched its live-green-and-save-blue challenge, which teaches resourceful ways to save water, maximize water use on lawns and grow plants that filter and cleanse storm water. The newest initiative is providing residents with the option of purchasing recycled rain barrels.

• In 2008, the Outer Banks Brewing Station became the first wind-powered brewery in the nation. Coquina Beach in Cape Hatteras National Seashore uses a windmill to power its bathhouse. OffshoreWindNC is becoming a strong potential for offshore wind energy in North Carolina, giving the state the possibility of leading the way into a clean energy economy and once again being innovators in harnessing the wind.

• The UNC Coastal Studies Institute has worked with local governments, schools and the N.C. Aquarium on Roanoke Island to build cisterns and establish rain gardens. There are eco-efforts that seasonal visitors can take to help preserve the beauty and health of the Outer Banks. David Sybert, education associate with UNC Coastal Studies Institute, offers these suggestions:

• Secure rubbish in bags within trash cans with closed lids so it won’t be blown onto the beaches or into the ocean.

• Keep unnecessary lights off inside and outside rental homes. Lights along the oceanfront can disrupt the nesting behavior of sea turtles.

• Don’t run air conditioning if the home’s windows are open.

• Consider renting houses with sustainable landscaping and technologies, such as solar panels or geothermal HVAC.

• Don’t release balloons, which can blow into the ocean and end up in the stomach of a sea turtle, fish, bird or marine mammal. Balloon debris from a water balloon fight may harm the beach and ocean ecosystems.