By: Issabella Lovett 6/18/20
77% of people want to learn how to live more sustainably, according to a cross-generational study led by Southern Cross University. With a plethora of options when it comes to incorporating eco-friendly methods into our daily routines, such as household and beauty products, many may be surprised to realize that even your fish tank can become more environmentally friendly. With that said, here’s how you can create an eco-friendly aquarium with recycled goods from a river.
The benefits of being green
There are a number of ways to create an eco-friendly aquarium, especially when it comes to conserving energy via lighting, or by ensuring to only purchase sustainably caught fish. Plastic is another major issue when it comes to home aquariums, as many aquarium owners resort to plastic decorations (like plants, etc.) that are often found in pet stores. Not only can plastic decorations be harmful to the environment when you’re done with them, but they can hurt the fish by releasing potentially toxic and harmful chemicals into the water as well (if it isn’t made of the right plastic, of course). Thankfully, reducing or eliminating plastic decorations altogether can easily be made possible when it comes to incorporating recycled river goods into your tank.
Driftwood and it’s versatility
Driftwood is an excellent addition to any eco-friendly fish aquarium that can be taken and recycled from a river, and for many reasons. Not only is it an all-natural alternative to the fake ceramic or plastic driftwood often found in pet stores, but it’s a sustainable way to provide shelter for your fish, as they can use the driftwood to hide — something which is important since many fish often have a natural instinct to do so. Another benefit to natural driftwood is that you can find it in many different sizes and shapes, making it especially easy to find the right pieces for your aquarium, no matter what size tank you may have.
Aquatic plants
Aquatic plants are another way you can make your home aquarium more environmentally friendly, and they also provide a number of unique benefits as well. For starters, aquatic plants are not only an alternative to plastic plants, but they can also almost act as an extra filtration system for your tank that can help to remove waste. In addition, aquatic plants can also help to reduce the amount of algae that oftentimes builds up, allowing you to keep the aquarium cleaner in a more natural way, and can also be yet another place for your fish to hide as well. By doing your research on the right aquatic plants to incorporate into your tank, you’ll be sure to create the perfect natural atmosphere for your fish.
As an aquarium owner, creating an eco-friendly environment for your fish is a great way to keep your tank healthy, as well as to mimic a natural environment. By incorporating eco-friendly decorations sourced directly from a river, such as driftwood or aquatic plants, you can effectively create a more environmentally friendly habitat for your fish.
]]>The river is a huge source of water for many cities and towns and if we continue to pollute our river it won’t be sustainable enough for human consumption anymore. Yes, we have a filter that cleans it before it reaches our tap, but if it just keeps getting more and more polluted the filter can’t do its job to its best ability.
We are sharing a habitat with so many beautiful animals and plants. Think about all the adorable turtle families that you see while your floating down the river, that is their home and we don’t want to harm it! Everyone has heard about the “Save the Turtles” movement and how we shouldn’t be using plastic straws because they all end up being disposed of incorrectly, they harm the animals and they add to the pollution. The San Marcos River is home to several different species of fish and animals that rely on the cleanliness of the river and their habitat.
We use Green Guy Recycling to help make sure all those beer cans get recycled properly! Did you know Aluminum cans are 100 percent recyclable, and they can be recycled over and over again. Even better, turning recycled cans into new cans takes 95% less energy than making brand- new ones. So next time you want to hate on floating and the drinking involved, remember it's not so bad if we just clean up after ourselves and are mindful of the products we are using. Another option thats safer for the environment would be using a reusable water bottle to stay hydrated on your float over plastic bottles!
The solution is very simple. Make sure to grab a red bag that we provide for you, throw away all of trash and then dispose of it the correct way when you get off the river in our trash cans and recycling that are provided! We can’t rely on someone going out to clean up after us we need to take care of it while it’s happening. Let’s be proactive about this and save the amazing environment that was given to us. Join the movement with us and #KeeptheRiverClean
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We know you are so busy working during the semester that you don’t get a chance to enjoy all that San Marvelous has to offer, but if you are balling on a budget and want to have a staycation here is a list of the top 5 fun and affordable things that you can do in San Marcos over your Spring break!
Welcome to the best float in Texas!! Escape the Texas heat into the refreshing river. Here it’s always spring break!! Enjoy your favorite drink while floating carefree!! They will take care of the driving and the tubes to float. Parking is FREE and they are doing a deal this year - $10 for EVERYTHING!! This is a full day of fun in itself, or you can enjoy camping, fishing, sun tanning, rope swings, bbq’s and more! I personally love just hanging out afterwards. The DJ and food trucks make it feel like a beach party you and your friends can get lit at, but remember to #Keeptheriverclean
(Sewell Park, photo courtesy Erica Fuchs)
Other river attractions you can get wet at are visiting the waterfall at Thompson's Island, strolling down 5-mile dam, or laying out for a sun bathe at bikini hill. The opportunities to get immersed in nature are limitless here. And the best part? IT'S ALL FOR FREE!! Bring a picnic, dog, towel, sunscreen, and escape the world somewhere close but so beautiful.
Ready to break a sweat? Dust off your Nikes and new years resolution workout clothes and go explore nature. Purgatory has a wide variety of trails fit for everyone and beautiful views when you finally find them. This is a great way to enjoy the day and be outside and it is cost efficient. It's free to go and the memories are priceless. Be weary of the time for after that beautiful sunset on the ridge, it gets dark real quick. Stay safe and keep our trails and rivers clean <3
San Marcos has the largest outlet shopping center in the U.S. and features 240 designers and name brands stores sprawled over 1.2 million square feet of shopping heaven. This is the ultimate one stop shop for everything you haven’t been wanting but just realized you needed cause it's too affordable! Here you can treat yourself without actually blowing the bank. Hold all your discount bags proudly. Finally snag those designer shoes you’ve been eyeing at markdowns you and your wallet can’t say no to. Pick out an outfit you can take over the night in for your epic spring break staycation.
(The Square, photo courtesy Andy Heatwole)
One of the many treasures in San Marcos is its collection of locally owned shops, restaurants, bistros and nightspots that fuel the liveliness of this happening little town. No prices can compete with the dollar dos deal on Tuesdays as well as the popular weekly $3 dollar you call its. You can keep it chill with the fun indoor outdoor vibes of the bars that makes you want to grab a beer and snack with the friends. It’s an easy walk to make the full bar crawl if you want to hit them all. The streets are filled with live music in the air as well as the smell of pizza. Every place has something unique to offer but our favorite gathering spots (watering spots away from the watering hole) are Louie’s for their oysters and beer, or hit Daiquiri Factory for New Orleans fat Tuesday vibes and add your underwear to the wall.
So when planning your spring break this year - just say WHY NOT. Why not have the ULTIMATE staycation right in your own backyard? You finally have time to explore the beauty of San Marcos. From river floating and hiking trails to the best shopping and restaurants to fill not only your stomachs, but your souls.
…. And you wonder why we call it #SANMARVELOUS
]]>I made sure that no one was going to have to drive because it was my birthday and I expected everyone to celebrate with me as hard as they could. I got a shuttle to come pick us up at my house where the pregame was being held. (In hind site I may have had one too many jell-o shots at the pregame). Once our bus driver Kyle showed up we all hopped on the bus and headed down to the river. Thanks to all of the jell-o shots that I had mentioned earlier our bus drive there was not a boring one to say the least.
Once we made it to the drop off we got all of our tubes and coolers and made it down to the water. If you know anything about me I was the first person to jump straight on my tube and splash everyone in the in water. The water was the best thing that could have happened to me that day because it was HOT! I brought a group of about 20 people with me and we all stayed together really well for the most part until we made it to the rope swing and everyone had to take a turn jumping in.
Needless to say once we made it back to Don’s everyone was feeling pretty good and wanted to stay and hang out for a little to wait for our stragglers and I got to see all of my other Don’s co-workers that were on the beach. Kyle came to pick us up and took us back to my house so that we could continue the fun! My favorite part about spending my birthday on the river was having some of my closest friends with me and all just joking around and being goofy. Would I have my birthday on the river again? Most likely 100% yes!
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Floating the river is always a good time and we love seeing all the bachelors and bachelorettes truly enjoy themselves and spend the day with their closest friends and family! We would love to help you celebrate you and your special day!
]]>Hey guys! We know everyone is super exited to float and we wanted to give you a checklist and how-to so that y'all can have the best floating experience!
Make sure to a get solid group of people together because floating the river is always a good time no matter how big or small the group is! We always like to tell people to show up to Don's anywhere in-between 11-2 so that you can get the best out of your day on the river. Keep in mind the float is about 3 hours long so you should try and pick a good time to start you float. For those of you that have floated with us before you know what you might need for a solid float, but in case you forgot or haven't ever floated with us yet here is a list of some of the things that you will need to have the best float on the beautiful San Marcos River:
1. Floating device! You can rent a tube at Don's or you are more than welcome to bring your own.
2. Cooler with ice. You will for sure need one of these. I promise. (Remember NO styrofoam or glass!)
3. Sun Screen!!! Out here in this Texas heat it is super important to stay protected from these UV rays!
4. Bring some drinks and snacks- Make sure to stay hydrated with some H2O and all you 21+ enjoy a beer or two!
5. Water shoes! We recommend that you wear some form of shoe in the river just in case there is any glass on the ground. Even if it's an old pair of sneakers it's better than nothing!
6. Waterproof Bag- These are great because you don't have to worry about finding a place to hold you phones, keys, and wallets!
7. Trash Bags- This is super important because we want to keep the river clean right?! We do provide red bags at drop off in case you don't bring one.
8. Koozies!!! A must.
9. Rope- Gotta keep that cooler tube close to you!
10. Bring some lawn chairs and stay and hang out on the beach!
There's always some more little random things that are good to have on a float but that was a good list of must haves for what you should bring to have the best float at Don's! Once you are on the river your float will be filled with good times and leave you with lots of memories! All of us on the Don's team love spending time at the river and love to share the experience with everyone else!
Make sure to follow our instagram to see if we post anymore tips and tricks!
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Hey everyone! It’s that time of the year where a bonfire sounds just about perfect for this chilly weather- so we decided to make it happen! Follow our bonfire experience so you can be prepared and know all the essentials when doing yours.
Starting out, you will need to plan for 3 hours before whenever you want to actually bonfire to gather materials from Walmart, cook the hot coco, and set up the actual fire itself so your bonfire can be LIT. We wanted to shoot for 5pm to try catching the sunset even though that didn’t happen because we spent too long preparing so let us help you save time and money by following our list of bonfire essentials:
All the items above was more than enough for our group of 11 friends! Also, make sure to bring your speaker from home, camera, and memory cards and don’t forget to CHARGE IT ALL BEFORE. Or bring a portable charger. Bring Jackets and extra blankets for maximum comfort options. No ones having fun if they’re too cold!
We spent too long in Walmart as usual so don’t get sucked in. Stay focused. Allot time to make the hot chocolate- boil water, add bags, mix, and go. This takes 30 minutes. It was already 5pm when we began making our hot coco. Luckily the fire was already lit when we pulled in to Don’s Fish Camp around 5:30- catching the final glimpses of sunset before the evening descended into darkness.
It's a good idea to park your cars around the fire to add light to the area. Bring a table and a tablecloth for the food and smore's station and to make clean up easier.
X WARNING X MARSHMELLOWS ARE VERY STICKY AND MESSY.
We luckily had a river to rinse off our hands and faces! This is where wipes would have come in handy! Have the friends with trucks back up and drop their tailgates for added seating and comfort. Use the blankets to sit on here or to cover up if you start getting chilly- but the fire keeps things pretty toasty!! We were taking off our jackets and felt perfectly comfortable in just a dons t-shirt holding hot liquor. It was the perfect way to spend a Texas winter night during the holidays with friends.