Being sustainable on holiday will positively add to your experience. Photo/Getty Images
Being sustainable on holiday will positively add to your experience. Photo/Getty Images
Sustainability expert Kate Hall explains some easy ways to reduce your footprint on your next holiday.
Often people think sustainable living takes away from your life, but in my experience, it adds to it - even on holiday. To properly enjoy the holiday you deserve, while being mindful of sustainability,start by reminding yourself that you cannot do it perfectly.
Holidaying involves new variables that are out of your control. Like the consideration of friends and family holidaying with you, new environments and a lack of familiarity with the local sustainable shops and waste sites. When you ditch the guilt that comes with compromising your usual daily sustainable habits, it’s easier to focus on what you can do. Before you head off, as well as checking if you’ve packed your sunscreen and enough spare undies, ask yourself a few simple questions.
How can I responsibly deal with my waste?
Organic matter does not break down in landfill and is an incredibly valuable resource for making new, precious soil. Ask your Airbnb host, hotel manager or campsite representative if they have a compost system. If not, use ShareWaste to find someone local who will happily take your food scraps. I try my best to carry a jar when I holiday so I can store my food scraps in it without being pestered by smells and then empty it whenever I find a compost bin. All communities have varying recycling policies, so ask your host, or a local, or check what the rules are on the council website of where you’re staying before you use the recycling bin.
How can I positively impact the community where I am staying?
Make bookings for locally owned restaurants with sustainability values (don’t be afraid to ask them questions about how they run their business), pick up rubbish when you’re wandering beaches, shop at local markets and generally choose to put your money into businesses that care about people and the planet, rather than large conglomerates. Your money has power and on holiday you can use that power for so much good.
There are so many ways to be mindful of sustainability on holiday. Avoiding exploitative tourist activities which involve land and animals and leaving no trace when camping or hiking are just a few extras to consider too.
Don’t let sustainable guilt impact your rejuvenation time, but carry your reusables with you, take public transport when possible, and enjoy your well-deserved time away.
