You’ve got eco-friendly habits down to a tee at the office and at home… but when you go on holiday, you sometimes tend to “forget” all about that kind of thing. Yet your environmental impact doesn’t take a break just because you do – and you’ll definitely want to keep up the good work if you’re staying at an eco-friendly campsite! “Small actions, big impact”: we turn the spotlight on a few simple steps you can take to reduce your impact at an eco-friendly campsite.
1. Be sure to choose eco-friendly accommodation
The first step for your eco-friendly camping trip: opt for accommodation with environmental certification. It makes perfect sense if you want to reduce your environmental impact! Look for sites holding the Clef Verte label or the European Ecolabel – both guarantee a commitment to sustainable tourism.
2. Prioritise sustainable transport for your camping holiday
The car is a practical and economical way to set off on a family holiday… but the carbon footprint is significant. However, there are more eco-friendly alternatives for getting to your campsite, like the train or coach. By choosing sustainable transport (a term covering all “green” modes of travel), you take time to savour both the journey and the destination while reducing your environmental impact.
And if the car is non-negotiable, there are still plenty of things you can do once you arrive: get around by bike or bus, opt for nearby trips in nature, and so on… all small steps but a giant leap for environmental protection!
3. Reduce your energy consumption
Another area where we can all take action to reduce our environmental footprint (even on holiday) is energy use. Avoid energy-guzzling appliances, opt for natural ventilation in the morning and evening rather than air conditioning, turn the AC off when you leave your accommodation, don’t leave lights on unnecessarily, and so on. Simple as that!
4. Use water wisely
Water resources are precious, so it’s important not to waste them. Once again, simple actions can help: don’t stay too long under the shower (even when you’re only half awake in the morning) and don’t leave the tap running when you’re cleaning your teeth or washing the dishes, for example. Good habits that can be learned from an early age!
5. Zero-waste camping
How about making your holiday mission of “reducing my environmental impact while camping” more fun? Where there’s a will, there’s a way! How about a family “zero-waste menu challenge”, “whoever chooses plastic-free food at the shops wins an ice cream at the campsite restaurant” or “who’ll be in charge of the reusable shopping bag?”
6. Eat local, seasonal foods
Finally, the last area of action – and by no means the least: food! For an eco-friendly camping holiday, fill your shopping basket with seasonal fruit and vegetables from local producers, ideally from farm shops or farmers’ markets, and choose unpackaged produce wherever possible! If you prefer to pull up a chair and let the pros do the cooking (you’re on holiday, after all!), choose restaurants that champion sustainable, homemade cuisine using local ingredients. The planet (and your tastebuds) will thank you!
With these tips for eco-friendly actions to adopt when camping, you’ll enjoy a memorable getaway at your favourite destination with an easy conscience… and a lighter carbon footprint!
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