Something about the summer months makes people feel happier, freer & more excited to do activities, especially things like travelling. The annual leave is all booked up, and everyone wants to use the longer days to do stuff they enjoy.

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Now whilst your home may not be stacking up as much emissions as the winter months, you may be racking up the co2 in other ways. As we know, flying has a huge carbon footprint attached to it, aviation alone accounts for around 2.5% of global emissions, and if we consider things like the water vapour trail left behind by the aircraft, it would bump that up to 5%

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The question is, how do we navigate this? How do we still enjoy summer and all the great things that come with it without dismissing our carbon emissions?

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Holidaying

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Have you explored the country you live in? Many people want to go out of the country without fully exploring the wonders and the beauty of the country they live in at present! There are more and more eco lodges and hotels than ever before to help you make your stay as eco-friendly as possible. Check their websites for their full credentials and how they reduce those obvious emissions. Supporting businesses that support the planet is important.

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If you are visiting a neighbouring country, look at alternative ways of travel. Many people don’t realise this could add excitement to your trip, being able to go via train or carpool! If you have your flight booked or you need to travel to see family, explore other means of compensating for the flight. This is important because it gets you in the habit of compensating for unavoidable emissions. You are then sowing back into the environment. Remember, we have some climate subscriptions that can help with this! We are also very happy to discuss more direct ways to compensate for larger, long-haul flights.

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Food Glorious Food

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The warm weather means everyone is having gatherings, picnics and celebrating life around a delicious plate of food. We are saying that people should completely abandon meat. We believe this is a personal choice; however, there are ways that you can reduce your meat intake to help introduce some balance. Too much red meat isn’t the best for the environment or your body, so finding ways to cut back on this could be good! Look at trying out meat-free Mondays and introducing more veggie/vegan options to your buffet tables. This makes all the difference.

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Food waste has a large carbon footprint and we must look at how our  attitudes and lifestyle choices contribute to this. When the sun is shining and people are feeling happy, they may get a bit too carried away when ordering takeaways or buying too much food. It is important to be mindful of this and try to get what you need, not just everything that catches your eye. Apps like Too Good To Go are great because you can grab leftover food from restaurants and share it with family and friends at a low cost. You can also use apps like Olio to share any food that you haven’t been able to finish. You will be surprised at how many people need that food and would happily take it off your hands. Let’s think about the afterlife of everything we buy to avoid wasting it.

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Keep an eye on your wallet

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Our spending habits are hitting the roof, and hyper-consumerism is so embedded into our lifestyle. Summer usually means there’s more happening, more things to attend and a willingness to be outside to socialise. Be mindful of  feeling the pressure  to buy new outfits, buy bottles when you’re out, and just spend money on things that you don’t need. Here are some great tips; if you have any clothes you don’t wear anymore, look at upcycling them. There are so many fun outfits that can be created out of oversized shirts and even dining table covers! Be innovative and be fun too! Take a refillable water bottle with you; more and more cities are installing fill-up points so you can stay hydrated for less! Keep an eye out for them and refill when need be.

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We hope you enjoy every bit of the sun; whether you’re based in England, New York, or Denmark, wherever in the world you are now, try to be mindful of how the climate impacts your behaviour and look to adopt more sustainable and eco-friendly habits.

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