Sunday 5th June is World Environment Day, and this year the campaign calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale, to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.
Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and held annually since 1974, it is the biggest international day for the environment, which has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach.
This year, the event is hosted in Sweden, with “Only One Earth" the campaign slogan and a focus on “Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature”.
As a Caravan, Motorhome or Campervan owner, what can you do to nurture our environment and reduce your carbon footprint?
While campervan and motorhome holidays typically generate up to 90% less carbon emissions than overseas holidays, converting to LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas) can further help to reduce your carbon footprint, as it is typically cleaner than other fossil fuels. The downside is it’s not widely available, although it is becoming ever more popular.
The RAC have a great article on LPG conversion, which you can read here
We often disregard areas close to home as holiday destinations and overlook wonderful places that are right on our doorstep. While the idea of a 200-mile trip into the unknown might seem exciting, traffic jams and expensive fuel mean we often wish we’d stayed closer to home in the first place!
Reducing fuel emissions is not the only thing we can do to protect the environment.
Recycling
Make use of campsite recycling facilities and grey waste receptacles. Many campsites encourage the recycling of plastic, glass, and food waste, and it doesn’t take long to separate these items before you dispose of them.
Go green
When nature calls, many campers are readily equipped with some sort of portable toilet. Cassette toilets are popular amongst campervan and motorhome owners alike, due to their compact size. The cassette is filled with a chemical, which breaks down waste matter and helps to eliminate nasty odours and makes the cassette very easy to clean. Although blue toilet fluids have been around for a while, people are now switching to green chemicals as they don’t contain formaldehyde and are therefore not as harsh. Many green toilet fluids on the market have been formulated for use in septic tanks, so if your campsite allows you to dispose of chemical waste, going green is the most environmentally friendly option.
Shop local
Campervans have limited space for food storage, so trips to local supermarkets are inevitable. Buying locally produced food from farm shops or markets is a great idea, as produce tends to come with less plastic packaging. It also invests in the local community, and the quality and freshness is likely to be better.
Cycling to local points of interest, or to pick up provisions, not only saves on emissions, petrol costs and parking fees, but also helps you to stay fit, too!
These little adjustments aren’t exactly rocket science, but if we all do our bit, we can help to save our beautiful planet, before it’s too late.
