There's so much in the media these days about the carbon footprint of holiday making. Surprisingly, your suitcase can have an impact on your carbon footprint so it's important to be as sustainable as possible. Here are some tips on how to do so!
Pack light
Ever been caught out by baggage weight restrictions? Well here's another reason to stick to your weight allowance - or less. The more weight that planes, trains and cars carry, the more fuel they use. While it might seem that packing lightly when boarding a gigantic A380 won't make much difference, imagine the impact we could have if everyone travelled light?
Here are some tricks to help you pack lightly.
- Try to limit clothes by putting together combinations of outfits with just a few pieces. Planning outfits in advance will help you avoid packing items which you don't end up using.
- Pack just one or two universally matching shoes: we usually opt for one beach pair (if heading to a beach destination) and one nicer pair for evenings and day trips - both neutral colours.
- Don't pack many toys for kids! Kids will run wild if they can - they don't often need loads of toys. Instead they can be entertained by making their own toys out of stones, twigs and building sandcastles!
Pack travel size toiletries & beauty products
pack more reusables!
Toiletries aside, remember to pack reusable tote bags for holiday shopping, groceries, picnics and so on. Avoid using plastic bags at all costs. Tote bags can be easily folded up which makes them incredibly convenient when packing lightly.
Reusable water bottles are also a must! If you buy an insulated one (like S'well or Chillies bottles), you can keep water cold while on the beach, or hot if you're heading into colder climes. Reusable bottles also help reduce the amount you spend on buying water when out and about! You should consider investing in a collapsible one if you're tight on suitcase space.
Travel Literature & Maps
For many, relaxing with a good book by the pool is a must for a holiday. However, try and limit the amount of books and maps that you pack for your travels. Firstly, books weigh a LOT and why would you want to increase luggage weight when you can download e-books or even read on the internet? Secondly, producing books is bad for the environment - think trees!
Read a book and use maps on your phone, iPad or Kindle when you're headed on a trip! It's much more convenient, especially if you're a holibobs bookworm!!