Going a little bit greener, becoming more informed about sustainability, finding eco-friendly options in all walks of life have been important themes in my life this year.
I just want to become a little better at this.
Do a little bit more.
Be more informed, active, and intentional.
As I said many, many times, it shouldn’t be an all or nothing issue. Small steps do count, do not let anyone tell you otherwise. And do not take the easy way out either. You know, the if I’m not 100 % perfect, why even bother attitude that often just conceals the laziness to do even 10%?
I’ll try to make this summer just a little bit greener. My focus will be on learning more about sustainable and eco-friendly tourism because we do a lot of traveling and I want to decrease our travel impact on the environment as much as I can.
Many of these tips are just very small tweaks to your routines and habits that really do not require a monumental effort. And the more you do them, the more natural they become.
Make your summer a little bit more eco-friendly with these 7 tips
Don’t forget to hydrate – and your water bottle
Chances are, you’re going to drink a lot more water in the upcoming months, which is in itself a great thing. Doing that out of plastic bottles – not so much.
I think every second article or blog post on sustainability puts carry your own water bottle in the top 3 quick things we can do to become a little greener, and with good reasons: 80% of plastic bottles end up in a landfill.
So, there’s nothing original here, but I’m still repeating the advice because it IS quite important and easy. Bonus points: the right water bottle will keep your drink cold – something that cannot be said of the plastic ones. Check out S’well, Fressko, Alex, Chilly’s, or bkr for some cool designs.
Ditch the straw
In the season of iced lattes and lemonades, it’s time to get serious about that extra harmful additive – the plastic straw.
Thankfully, the plastic straw’s fate is kinda sealed – it’s in the top3 plastic things to be banned across the EU in the very near future. I think the only time straws offer some practicality is when we’re in motion. Pretty lemonades at cafes or restaurants – totally fine without straws. So ditch it entirely, or get on the reusable road: there are stainless steel or silicone alternatives.
Make that garden party really green
Focus on reusables as much as you can: no single-use plastic cups, plates, utensils, straws, paper napkins. Either buy a bunch of secondhand dishware and linens if you go for the mismatched look, or an extra set of dishes from your regular ones if you prefer color harmony. I suspect most of us do not host barbecue parties for hundreds of people, so those gotta be enough.
There are also a couple of cool alternatives, like these fully biodegradable and edible wheat bran plates, seaweed-based edible straws (soon to come in different flavors), or eco-friendly party essentials.
No need for individual soft drinks or plastic water bottles either, I very much prefer a lemonade stand with one large drink dispenser and fruit and herbs to customize my drink.
Relax the AC
This may seem harsh, but for me, the AC is really a symbol of how easily we sacrifice the planet for a little bit of comfort. I’m not saying we should ban all ACs, but maybe exercise some restraint. Is it really necessary to turn it on as soon as the first sunrays hit the Earth in May? Do I really have to go shopping with a jumper in the middle of July because all the shops are freezing cold? Do we really have to turn on the AC as soon as we sit in the car, instead of just rolling down the windows?
I don’t personally like or use the AC that much, but I don’t expect anyone to stop using it completely. But maybe make it less automatic and just try to find ways to get cooler without working it 24 hours straight.
If you can, invest in a programmable thermostat and only turn on the AC when you’re heading home. Get it cleaned regularly for health and energy-saving reasons. Close the shades during the day to keep the house as cold as possible. Open the windows early on to let the morning breeze sweep out the cold. Use a sunshade on your car so that the AC doesn’t have to be overworked.
And if you’re at it, give your tumble dryer a rest as well this summer – it takes like an hour for clothes to dry if you put them outdoors on a rack.
Party sustainably
More and more festivals are trying to mitigate their impact on the environment and also ask the participants to support these efforts. There are various initiatives like purchasing carbon offsets, carpooling, biking, promoting biodegradable food items, waste reduction, recycling, free water-refilling deals, solar recharging, return and refund systems – take some time to visit the festival’s webpage beforehand or ask about the sustainability efforts at the site.
Choose eco-friendly sunscreens
Sunscreen is non-negotiable (read this post to become an SPF-expert). What kind of sunscreen we use is another matter. Experts say that mineral sunscreens (ones with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) are generally safer choices (though not perfect because of the nanoparticles in them) from an environmental perspective than chemical sunscreens. Oxybenzone, a known chemical sunscreen ingredient is especially bad for the ocean and coral reefs (there’s also no consensus on whether it’s totally safe for humans either), so maybe it’s better to stay clear of it.
It also helps if we shower before going into natural waters (or swimming pools for that matter), as personal care products like sunscreen, oils, leave-in conditioners wash off into the waters, build up over time and can disrupt the ecosystem.
Practice sustainable tourism
Sustainability is probably not the term we think about the most when we go on vacation. However, it actually should be as it’s imperative that we decrease our travel footprint and ease the pressure on countries, places, and people who are swamped by tourists in this season. Sustainable tourism for me means:
- Minimize waste – no littering, opting for reusables
- Protect the natural environment – keep it clean and beautiful, follow the rules and regulations
- Don’t exploit the people and animals – research touristy programs beforehand and make sure it does not hurt other beings (which means, no elephant rides for me)
- Supporting local businesses – local restaurants and accommodations over big chains
- Buying local specialties instead of mass-produced souvenirs
- Walking a lot, using public transport, and using a car as a last resort
Read more about sustainable tourism here and here.
Any other fun, eco-friendly summer tips to add to this list?
