Summer is in full swing and out of office replies are rife, which can only mean one thing! As many of you set off into the sunshine and head somewhere hot this holiday season, we’ve put together some ways you can have a positive impact wherever you go.
We all deserve to have fun whilst we’re away, but it’s important to be mindful of the environment and respect the area you’re visiting. Moreover, it’s incredibly easy to make small, sustainable decisions throughout the day to ensure you’re making a difference.
Take a look at how you can have a sustainable summer with these simple practices!
Take a picnic!
We all enjoy convenience when we’re away but if you’re off out, take a picnic instead of grabbing on-the-go options. Packing your own food for long journeys or when you’re going to the beach is an environmentally sound solution. This ensures that you make a responsible amount of food, resulting in less food waste.
You can use reusable containers, bottles and cutlery from home, instead of opting for food served in single-use plastic.
Taking a picnic bag also ensures you have something to put your rubbish in before you leave. You can then discard this responsibly once you find the appropriate facilities.
Invest in reusable and refillable
If you’re flying abroad for a sustainable summer, forget about the travel-sized toiletries or purchasing products when you reach your destination.
Instead, you can buy 100ml containers for any liquids going into your hand luggage. This saves you from spending more than you need to and you can re-use the containers every time you fly.
Invest in a reusable cup for coffee to prevent unnecessary waste when you’re out for the day. Every year the UK alone throws away 2.5 billion single use cups so imagine the difference this would make globally.
Take a refillable bottle for your drinks. You can purchase soft drinks on draught at a bar or lookout for places providing water refill facilities, rather than purchasing throw-away bottles.
Alternatively, if you fancy a drink, try alcohol pouches! Pouches are said to offer an 80-85% reduced carbon footprint compared to glass. Flexible packaging like these pouches, provide a robust multi-film layer that can also prevent unnecessary waste.
Research in advanced
Before you reach your destination, look into the local recycling rules. Every place is different and uses a different bin system so try and get familiar with them before you fly.
If you’re staying in a villa, apartment or house this summer, look up the collection dates so you know when to put your bins out.
Food waste might be collected differently or there may be separate systems in place for plastics, paper and cans. Look out for recycling labels on your empty products, read instructions (where applicable) and rinse before throwing anything away.
Remembering to put the right material in the right bin, means there’s more chance of it being recycled into something resourceful.
Recycle
Wherever you go, try to look out for the different bins available. Making extra effort so that the right waste ends up in the appropriate stream will help it be recycled.
As mentioned earlier, make sure packaging is free from any excess food and liquid. Also look out for mixtures of materials such as plastic with paper-based food packaging, which may require separation before recycling.
Be mindful of whether or not the packaging or product itself can be recycled at the end of use before purchasing. If not, seek alternatives to send a message and prevent waste from piling up!
If you are unable to recycle or there’s not a bin in sight, take your waste back with you. It’s our duty to take these steps to protect and preserve the planet, whether we’re home or away.
