We all deserve to have a holiday, but it’s fair to say that the environmental cost of travelling around the world – particularly when flying –can begin to add up. Your carbon footprint can be quite substantial and there’s the little things like the energy you use in your accommodation or in the activities you get involved with.
There are certain holidays you can go on however where you don’t have to worry about such issues, as the effect you have on the environment is significantly reduced.
Here’s a few suggestions for you to consider for your summer trip:
The Great Outdoors
Camping is a fantastic eco-holiday and an enjoyable one to boot. You can pitch a tent in the great outdoors (of which the UK has many options) and providing you have the right gear, you can camp for a few weeks and enjoy what nature has to offer. Along with the pastoral surroundings, the ‘eco’ element to this is the fact you won’t be using lots of electricity, nor will you create lots of emissions getting there.
Eco-Hotels
If you still want to treat yourself to a little luxury, there are now many established ‘eco-hotels’ for you to choose from. Like the name suggests, these are hotels that give you comfortable and quality accommodation, yet they operate in a green way. Some examples of what they offer includes:
- Clever designs to let in light and air for natural temperature controls
- The use of organic products for things like shampoo and body wash
- Locally sourced produce
- Energy saving power sources (solar, wind, hydro)
- Recycling programs that guests are expected to get involved with
Green Road Trips
Taking a drive across the country or the continent can be a special and unique holiday experience, however you’d be forgiven for thinking that all that travel in a car isn’t the best for the atmosphere. While there’s a lot of truth in this, the simple solution is to hire or purchase a more eco-friendly car and use this for your journey. You can find some suggestions of popular hybrid and electric models here.
Volunteering
A holiday isn’t always about relaxing or indulging yourself, your idea of a holiday might be to give something back to the world. If this is something that interests you, there are lots of eco-charities out there looking for help and by getting involved with these you’ll certainly be doing your bit for the environment.
At the end of the day, the choice is yours, but hopefully you’ll find something in these suggestions that appeals. Whatever your preferences, with these options you can afford yourself the summer holiday you deserve but without the negative eco impacts.
