The long weekend is nearly upon us and some of us may be taking advantage of the break to go off on a road trip. Here are some easy ideas and tips on how you can make your journey a sustainable road trip.
10 tips for a sustainable road trip
1. Get your car checked or serviced before you go – things like a dirty air filter, bad spark plugs and tyres that are not properly inflated can all affect the fuel consumption of a vehicle.
2. Plan your route before you go! If you know where you are going then you can avoid getting lost and unnecessarily chewing through the fuel.
3. If you are hiring a car – consider looking into a rental of a hybrid electric vehicle.
4. When booking a place to stay, look into ‘Green’ accommodation. There are many different options now, from glamping, cottages, eco resorts and hotels. Green accommodation are places that may have environmental certifications and have made eco-friendly improvements whilst working towards being sustainable in various ways such as water/energy consumption, recycling, procurement and cleaning.
5. If you are staying in a hotel, follow some of the rules you would at home – don’t get the towels changed every day and remember to turn off lights, TV and air con when not using them. Take any leftover hotel toiletries home with you, if they have been used then they will most likely be disposed of (and destined for landfill) by the cleaners.
6. When you are packing, fill reusable containers with toiletries rather than buying the travel sized options that will only be thrown away after you finish.
7. Pack and use rechargeable batteries for electrical items you need when you go camping or on holiday. Much better for the environment and will also work out cheaper for you in the long run.
8. Remember to take your reusable drink bottle and coffee cup with you! If you do purchase beverages on the road, make sure you dispose of them correctly! A plastic water bottle would go into the recycling, while a disposable coffee cup needs to go into the general waste/landfill bin.
9. If you are lucky enough to be heading somewhere hot for the long weekend, when you stop remember to put a sunshade on your car to eliminate as much heat as possible in the car so the air conditioning doesn’t have to be over worked.
10. Pick up litter – as you travel, it’s unfortunate but you are sure to come across litter along the way. Picking up the odd piece and putting it in the bin is easy, and a good habit to get into – it can all make a difference!