This post is written for the “Save the Ocean” group-writing project.

Florida’s terrible hurricane season in 2004 and the far more devastating Katrina disaster in 2005 exposed the risk that erosion and rising sea levels from climate change will, over the next 50 years, destroy one out of four homes built within 500 feet of the sea. Building on barrier islands, on beaches or on reclaimed wetlands and salt marshes not only puts your home and family at risk but also contributes to the degradation of the coastal ecosystem that normally act as storm barriers.

Image credit: Nichols Park Beach House by Thomas & Dianne Jones.

Here’s how you can ensure that coastal living can be a great experience as long as you build and buy with great respect for the natural processes of the coast:

• Obtain a geological and hydrological assessment of the area you are intending of buying.
• Order copies of flood hazard maps to see if the area you’re looking at is at risk.
• Consider homes that are not on the water but easily accessible to the beach by bike or walking trails.
• Buy a home that is well above sea level.
• Encourage friends and relatives who are considering moving to the beach to move “close to the beach” instead.
• Look to purchase existing house rather than buying in new developments that contribute to coastal sprawl.

January 2008 is “Save the Ocean” month here at The Giving Hands. Click here for more information on how you too, can save our oceans, and remember to subscribe to The Giving Hands for your daily updates!