The glorious months of summer are quickly approaching, and it’s getting harder and harder to concentrate on anything else besides that. For some, this means the freedom to behave like a beach bum and not get any flack. Others won’t notice much of a change in their daily routine, besides the sweltering weather, of course.
No matter how you decide to spend it, summer is the perfect time to consider becoming a bit more eco-friendly. Most of the day is spent outdoors having fun during the summer months anyway, so why not better our planet in the process?
For families with little tykes in tow, start small. Using recyclable materials, such as egg cartons and paper grocery bags, to make fun crafts will be a fun and useful activity. Even better than that, it will give children a lesson in being resourceful by explaining why we reuse materials. Some of the fun ideas are to grow a garden filled with healthy vegetables, or just taking a walk to the store rather than using the car.
For those who love to barbecue on cool summer nights, consider using lump coal instead of briquettes in your grill, which give off more carbon monoxide with combined with lighter fluid. To take a huge step toward a greener change, solar ovens or stoves can be used to avoid harmful emissions altogether.
A vacation is bound to be in your plans somewhere in these summer months, and this is the year to really make a change in the way you travel. Travel size products may seem useful, but those little commodities but a heavy burden on the environment. Bringing your regular bottles of product and refilling them, such as shampoo and conditioner, will not only be helpful to the environment, but may save space if all members of the family are using the same bottles. Water bottles should also be left be left at home. Recycling bins are hard to come by at most vacation areas, and bringing one along that is refillable will last you throughout your entire trip.
Lastly, if you are choosing to travel the skies this summer, try to fly direct. Excessive amounts of fuel are used to land and take off, so booking a direct flight will be greener than making stop-overs. No matter where you find yourself this season, being green can make sure there will be many beautiful, clean summers to come.
