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January blues often leave us dreaming fondly of summer, desperately waiting for it to arrive. Whilst summer can be fun, with lighter evenings and warmer weather there is plenty to enjoy, however, it can be challenging to know how to keep check of your environmental footprint during this time.
Here are just some of the ways you can care for the environment whilst still enjoying your summer:
Holidays
Going on holiday is something many of us look forward to during the lead-up to summer, however, this often conflicts with the goal of reducing carbon emissions. With flight and car travel being big carbon emitters, it feels counterproductive to travel this way. This doesn’t mean that you need to avoid going on holiday altogether, there are still plenty of more eco-friendly options. Walking holidays are a great option, particularly if you are wanting an active holiday. If that doesn’t sound up your street, interrailing could be perfect, taking advantage of public transport and subsequently having a lesser environmental impact than traveling via plane or car.
Parties and socialising
The warmer weather means we tend to socialise more, whether that be birthday parties, work events or just catching up with friends. There are small changes you can make during these times to be more eco-conscious.
Reducing your usage of single-use products is a good place to start; whether it be balloons, plastic cups, or BBQs, actively not using these and opting for reusable alternatives will help reduce waste.
When meeting up with friends or family, think about how you are traveling there; would it be possible to use public transport or car-pool with others traveling to the same place? These small considerations can have a large impact.
Hydration
Throughout summer, it is important to stay hydrated to avoid heat stroke. Make sure to invest in and carry a reusable water bottle where possible. This will prevent you from having to constantly purchase single-use bottles.
These also make great gifts if you are stuck on what to get someone.
Diet
The food you consume directly impacts your carbon footprint. Increasing your consumption of plant-based foods and reducing the amount of meat and dairy products you eat is a good place to start. This doesn’t need to be a complete diet transformation, any small change that you can make will help.
Try to have fun with it, try out new recipes, host a meat-free dinner party with your friends, eat vegan one day a week to try it out.
Volunteer
Another way that you can be more eco-conscious is to take up an active volunteering role this summer. This could be anything from planting trees to taking part in a community clean-up. Doing some research online will help you discover what schemes are currently being run in your local area and where you can help out.