10 Ways to Care for the Environment Outside of the Home

The Earth has all the things we need to live, but we need to take care so it can provide what we need in return. We want, in particular, children to understand that if the animals, oceans, lakes, gardens, and forests they love so much are harmed, they can no longer enjoy them along with the people living decades beyond us. 

Caring for the environment means doing things like recycling your plastic bottles instead of throwing them in the bin, and turning off lights when you don’t need them on anymore.

Wild Atlantic Surf Co strongly believes that it is up to us to do what we can to care for the environment and there are plenty of ways to be green and make choices that help. 

1. Pack A Zero-Plastic Picnic

When you go out for the day with your family and take a picnic, at the top of your checklist is usually a picnic blanket and napkins. Avoid taking paper napkins and kitchen rolls, both of which are likely to be thrown away and instead bring fabric napkins that you can take home, wash and reuse. 

Try to make the food from scratch at home to avoid bringing unnecessary packaging and once you've finished making your picnic snacks, put them in reusable containers. This zero-waste solution will help to keep your food fresh for longer. Use lidded containers made from glass or stainless steel and food wraps made with beeswax or plant wax, as these zero-waste solutions will help to keep your food fresh for longer as well as being kind to the environment.

2. Take Your Rubbish Home

Wherever you go for a picnic or if you eat outside in general, you must leave the spot exactly as you found it, so you don't disturb any natural habitats or ecosystems.

If there are no bins or an option to recycle then just take everything home, sort and recycle afterwards. The common term to remember is ‘leave no trace’ and if you follow this you are doing everything right. 

It's so important to leave the area as you found it. Any rubbish that's thrown away and left in nature can take many years to break down so it is a priority to be eco-responsible.

3. Change Your Driving Habits

Give your vehicle an occasional break and travel by other eco-friendly means where possible. If you can walk, bike, or take public transport to work or school just once or twice a week, you’ll significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Combine all your errands into one car trip if you can and ask yourself  “Could I walk instead of driving?” before you leave home. 

4. Sharing Is Caring 

Lower your family’s carbon footprint and packaging waste by sharing instead of buying new items. Bring your children to the local library to borrow new books and encourage them to swap toys and games with their friends or join a toy library swap. Host a clothing swap in your local area when people come along and exchange their clothes rather than send them to landfill.

5. Close the Door

An open door to a heated or air-conditioned building can let tonnes of carbon dioxide escape whilst shutting the door reduces energy usage by 50%.  As you and your family visit shops and restaurants, ask the manager if you can close the door if it’s open or where possible just try your best to close it over. As well as reducing energy use, this simple action will also reduce CO2 levels and reduce the need for ‘air curtains over doors’, which are one of the greatest wasters of energy.

6. Eat In Season 

Before taking your children to the supermarket, ask them to look up which fruits and vegetables are in season. Even better, take a family trip to a local farmers market or green grocers so kids can talk to the experts about their food. Local food in season cuts down on the energy needed to grow and transport it, plus the trip might encourage any picky eaters to try something new. There are some amazing local farm shops right across Ireland.

7. Buy Sustainable Straws

Thankfully the UK & Ireland have banned the sale of plastic straws in shops however they can still be bought online. Whilst popular among children, these bendy plastic straws are so harmful for the environment and can take up to 200 years to decompose after they are thrown away, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). There are some amazing environmentally friendly alternatives including straws made from Bamboo which are 100% chemical-free. Also, Bamboo is biodegradable, naturally antibacterial, and one of the most sustainable resources on earth. Alternatively why not try Wild Atlantic Surf Co’s reusable straws which comprise 3 different stainless steel straws and a cleaning brush in a handy carry pouch.

8. Make Your Trip Purposeful

Plan a holiday, day trip or even just an afternoon trip to a national park, bird sanctuary, or nature reserve. They protect vital landscapes and wildlife habitats, are important places where people live and work, and provide a focus for recreation and tourism for millions of visitors each year. These places are more likely to receive funding to stay open if more people visit them.

9. Reuse Towels

Many hotels offer guests the chance to reuse towels instead of sending them for cleaning after each use. Take advantage of this eco-friendly policy and ask your family to hang up their towels in the bathroom. Hoteliers normally leave a small card suggesting that towels be reused to significantly reduce the amount of water and electricity needed to launder linens and towels daily.

10. Volunteer to host a neighbourhood clean up

Picking up rubbish in your neighbourhood, street or local beach takes just a few minutes, but can have a hugely positive effect. Not only is litter unsightly and capable of ruining our enjoyment of our local area, but it can also have a devastating impact on animals and marine life. A cleanup can not only bring about a sense of community and responsibility to keep our local areas and beaches free from litter but it can also act as a great educational tool for both children and adults.

We actively support ‘Surfers against Sewage’ amongst other initiatives to make sure we are getting involved and helping to grow our environmentally responsible communities across the globe. 

Wild Atlantic Surf Co believes that big changes are needed, but that little ones add up. From our organic cotton Hoodie , to our organic vegan SOS balm, going 'green' and thinking about our environment is about being sensible. By understanding your lifestyle habits, you can avoid waste and research appropriate products to get it right the first time.

Related Blog:

Surfers Against Sewage Beach Clean