Life’s a Beach…

Today my travels have taken me tropical. Tropi-local, actually. Kind of like a day at the beach but on the high street, sunbathing without the heat wave. In lieu of my typical 5 hours in an airplane cabin, today I have spent 5 minutes in a sunshine cabin. A tanning booth – the concorde flight-path for an overall tan, sun-kissed in seconds.

Off-boarding my tanning tardis I exit with a glow that would make Willy Wonka’s Umpa Lumpa’s proud, without the sizzle of a sun-bed and safely sprayed without the risk of harmful rays. Simultaneously, however, as I leave I am surprised to see how a queue grows for this quick glow-to-go and it is this tan-thusiasm that has rallied my reflections to wonder about the nation's addiction to the infamous tanorexia and indeed what is it that has driven us all to be such a fan of a fake tan…?

In an environment that is more electronic than ecological, we are encouraged to embrace the eco-nomics of our ergonomics – our gasoline is unleaded, our packaging is biodegradable, bottles are recycled, our kitchen basics are organic, our offices are paperless and as a result our carbon footprints are gradually reduced. But are we as equally e-conscious about our eco-selves as we are for our eco-system?

Programmed to protect our personal packaging from the problematic penetration of the sun and the ageing attack of the elements, today's eco warrrior is just as focussed on our physical well being as we are on our coastlines and countryside.  

Slowing down the effects of time has become an industry in itself and our investment is a small price to pay to save the person from the perils, as well as the planet. The return on the personal investment has short term gain, as well as protecting our future asset – a trip to St Tropez can be as convenient as a trip to the local convenience store, a Barbados bronze is more easily acquired from a bottle than from a beach, and the only place to endure turning and burning is the barbeque rather than the beach towel.

Conversely and somewhat ironically, however, the price we have to pay for this type of sun gone wrong can take a little longer to recover the loss. A glow gone glorange needs patience and time to reduce the redness, not aloe vera. Lesson learned - glo with caution…

So, as I watch my Umpa Lumpa siblings appear one by one from the bronzing booth to dance the tango, I am left to wish for the bliss of a successful sun kiss in 24 hours' time and wonder, in an effort to go green in our physical lives are we running the risk of turning orange in our personal lives?

 ‘Til next time, Pandora