We are slowly becoming more accustomed to the idea of saving energy, recycling and looking after our environment. Did you think about how you can make changes to the way you holiday so you can enjoy your precious free time in a more eco friendly way? Here are some ideas to help you have a greener holiday.
One of the key ways to have a smaller carbon footprint is to holiday at home! Staying in the UK means you won’t be using an aeroplane, which saves a huge amount of carbon from being pumped into the atmosphere. There are lots of ways to stay in the UK, from hotels and B&B type accommodation, to camping, caravanning and park holidays UK which offers a range of different accommodation types.
Another fab way to be greener is to ditch the car and use public transport, cycle or walk to more places. Once you are at your holiday destination it can be quite fun trying to find your way on local transport, or by packing your walking shoes for a long hike! It is also a great way to find out more about the local area – you will see far more of the sights and sounds when you are on foot. Where distances make it a bit difficult, why not try to pair up with another family at your holiday park to ride share, or use public transport such as buses and trains?
Eating and shopping locally whilst you are away is a good way to reduce the airmiles your food and goods use up. Many holiday parks have their own restaurants and shops on site, and most are located very close by to local towns and cities. If you are by the sea, try to find locally sourced fish for a delicious supper! Use your own carrier bags where you can and try to reuse any packaging you get whilst you are away for the ultimate in recycling goodness.
Watch the heating whilst you are staying away – most hotels have the heating on a central system, but if you are staying in an Air B&B type property or a cottage, where you have control over the heating, try to turn it off as much as you can. Obviously if it is the middle of winter you might need to pop it on when it is particularly chilly, but in the summer, there shouldn’t be much need for it. You can save a great deal of energy by wearing more layers, doing active things and conserving heat as much as you can.
Reducing the amount of single use plastics, we use is another way to minimise our effect on the planet. Try to use your own water bottle when you are away, and refill it each day rather than buying lots of separate water bottles. Most holiday parks have drinking water readily available throughout the parks and lots of cafes or restaurants will be happy to refill a bottle for you. This can save a tremendous amount of waste over the course of one holiday!