How to be more sustainable this summer - 5 easy switches you can make
Take a look at 5 brands who are making a sustainable summer a fun and fashionable reality.
As most of us are enjoying our summer holidays at home this year, we’re going BIG on our summer activities.
Some people might tell you that being fun and being sustainable don’t go hand-in-hand. Below we’ve shared some awesome warm weather products you can swap in to reduce your carbon footprint, without missing out on the joys of summer.
1. Mix Up Your BBQ Offerings
Wanting to cut your carbon emissions but not miss out on the taste of a delicious burger? Beyond Meat produces convincingly real looking and tasting plant-based patties that work as a great meat substitute. They taste even better when you know they use 90% less Greenhouse Gases and 99% less water than a traditional beef burger.
Partner your patties with a sustainable, artisan beer from Crust. Crust upcycle food waste from bread to make exquisite beers, lagers and soft drinks. That’s right, you can help mother nature by getting drunk now.
2. Switch Your Suncream To Save Coral Reefs
There’s a lot of nasty chemicals in typical suncreams that damage coral reefs and the wildlife surrounding them. Whilst we might not have reefs in the glistening shores of Blighty, the chemicals do end up washed into our oceans — which could and should be avoided.
Swap to a mineral suncream like All Good — a climate neutral, reef-safe cream that uses natural ingredients and antioxidants to protect your skin.
3. Trade In Your Travel Bag
Even if you’re not heading abroad this year, Patagonia’s high-quality backpacks and rucksacks are essential for any outdoor activity. Patagonia is famous for its eco-friendly initiatives: pledging 1% of sales to the preservation and restoration of the natural environment; using over 64% recycled materials in their fabrics; and they even offer repairs to keep your gear lasting longer. So you can feel smug whilst you’re hiking in style.
Looking for something fancier? Matt & Nat produce beautiful accessories from overnight bags to handbags and they’re made from vegan leather, biodegradable materials and recycled plastic. Approximately 21 plastic bottles are recycled for every bag made. Woof.
4. Start Using Eco-Friendly Outerwear
If you’re on the hunt for a new rain jacket — perhaps something light for those warmer temperatures but ready for an unexpected shower, check out Swedish brand Tretorn.
Tretorn specialise in wet-weather essentials and have an extensive eco-friendly product line that uses everything from fishing nets to leftover fabrics to make their delightful Scandi goods. Yes they look really nice, too. Here’s proof you can be stylish and sustainable.
5. Sit On Plastic Bottles As A Picnic Blanket
Gone are the days you’d go for a picnic and sit on a scratchy woollen rug with a sore backside. Rumpl’s ‘Puffy’ is everything we’ve been searching for. It’s a cushy picnic blanket that doubles up as a cosy outdoor blanket that’ll keep you warm when the temperature’s turn.
Inspired by sleeping bags, Puffy is made from 100% recycled materials (mainly plastic bottles) and is stain and water resistant — so you can spill as much ketchup down it as you want. The blanket is also as light as a feather to carry, which is suitable for when you’re trying to find that perfect spot to picnic. It’s truly worth the switch.
Boom. Look at all these eco-friendly businesses that are truly smashing it. It can be overwhelming to try to make positive environmental decisions when there is just so much to consider. That’s why we love these kinds of companies, who offer great products and no-brainer solutions, like these.
Unfortunately, not a lot of people, even environmentalists, are aware that websites are responsible for CO₂ emissions. But they are — in a big way.
Now, time to audit these companies and see who needs our help!