06 May
Travel

Travelling more sustainably – our top tips!

As countries start to open up again post-Coronavirus, you may be starting to think about getting that Wanderlust fix you’ve been dreaming about for the best part of the last year. In Australia, overseas travel is resuming to New Zealand, and Singapore may not be far behind, so many are rushing to book a trip as soon as they can. 

This is a great opportunity to create the new ‘normal’ that you want to live by. A clean slate almost to live a life that you are more fulfilled by. You’ve started to transform your home into a more planet-friendly and human-kind friendly environment so you may be wondering how you can bring these new practices into the way you travel. 

So, we want to show you how to travel sustainably, so that you can be a little bit friendlier to the planet when you travel in the future.

The impact that tourism has had on many countries is massively damaging. Many destinations which once had thriving communities have seen people pushed out from their homes in order to make way for huge, corporate-owned hotels. Local businesses have been crushed by American-owned restaurants and coffee shops taking their customers. Areas of beauty have also been destroyed by the sheer footfall of tourists visiting popular and well-published areas. 

One example is Maya Bay, on Ko Phi Phi Leh island in Thailand. You would recognise it from the movie The Beach with Leo DiCaprio (yep, that one!) which has been closed indefinitely to tourists thanks to an overwhelming amount of pollution on the island. At its peak, the island was receiving almost 5,000 tourists and 200 boats a day, who brought litter, boats and sun cream caused. It is estimated that more than 80% of the coral around Maya Bay has now been destroyed.

Travelling sustainably doesn’t mean that you need to stop flying altogether, or leave the life you know and take to the road for 6 months. However, there are a few simple changes you can make to your mindset and your actions that can make a huge difference. Here’s how:

1. Think carefully about your destination 

Obviously, the distance you are travelling will impact the environment but it’s good to check how eco-friendly the actual city you are visiting is. One of our favourites, Ljubljana in Slovenia, has been voted one of the greenest in Europe⁣⁣.

2. Stay in one place for longer⁣

⁣If you can, base yourself in one city or area for long enough to soak up the culture, meet the locals and get a sense of your surroundings⁣. Book homestays or local apartments to stay in instead of big hotels. Spend time getting to know your hosts if you have the time, ask them for recommendations, take up offers of dinners and be more flexible with your travel plans.

3. Travel by road or train to your destination to save on carbon emissions

Choose a location that you can explore on foot or by bike. Take the road less travelled. Visit destinations and attractions that are a little bit less known, don’t just follow the guidebook’s recommendations or go to that clifftop on everyone’s Instagram. Avoid crowded areas so that you’re not contributing to the damage to the flora and fauna.

4. Seek out local guides to show you the area, rather than big tour companies⁣

Tip generously⁣. Ignore the guidebook and contribute to the local economy by shopping and eating in smaller, locally owned businesses⁣⁣. By support locals, instead of global corporations, you will be enabling the community to thrive and survive for years to come.

5. Pack smart! 

The most important thing is to pack light, especially if staying in homestays which won’t have a porter service. Try to think about which toxic products, like sunscreen, soaps, shampoos, you are taking with you and look for natural alternatives.

6. Share your stories with your friends and family afterwards⁣. 

Pass on contacts of what you enjoyed, encourage others to do the same! Lastly…leave the throw away little trinket souvenirs there and complimentary hotel toiletries alone. You’ve probably got plenty from pre-corona time travel still sitting in your bathroom. 

Do you think about how sustainable you travel? What are some of your favourite eco-friendly methods of travel? Let us know in the comments below.

Screenshot 2020 10 07 114340
07 Oct
At Home, Environmental concerns, Vesica blog

Easy Ways To Go Zero Waste At Home

Zero waste living aims to minimise the impact of modern life by reducing the amount of waste we produce. It’s said that the average Australian produces 540kg of waste per year so it can seem daunting to imagine not producing any waste of any kind.

Going zero waste is definitely not going to happen overnight but if there’s one thing we can do for the planet, it’s to reduce the amount of waste we produce. Especially in our own homes. There are some really easy steps you can take to move towards a zero-waste home, so we’ve put together a list of some easy and budget-friendly ideas below to get you started.

Remember, it’s not about being perfect. Small changes which we make collectively can make a big impact so pick a couple that is achievable for you and implement these in your home today.

EASY WAYS TO GO ZERO WASTE AT HOME:

  1. Separate your rubbish

The first step to zero waste is separating your rubbish properly. Without this, you might be sending waste to landfills which could actually be recycled or composted or contaminating your recycling so it has to be sent to landfills. Contaminated rubbish affects what will and won’t be sent to recycling.

An easy way to do this is to install four bins at home. One for landfill (e.g. non-recyclable plastics, household waste), one for recycling (e.g. paper, glass, cans, card), one for soft plastics (e.g. any plastic your can fold in your hand) and one for compost (e.g. food waste). Your number one goal at home is to use the landfill bin the least. 

It’s always a good idea to give any glass jars, can or packaging a rinse and let dry on your dish rack overnight to remove any food which might contaminate your recycling.

Some councils will take away your soft plastic but, if not, there are soft plastic drop-off bins at both Coles and Woolworths.

  1. Recycle glass jars

Glass jars can be used for so many things around the house and that’s not just making your own jam. Save and wash all of your empties and use next time you head to the bulk food store, regrowing your food scraps, pickling food for long term storage, storing leftovers in the fridge or taking to work, new cocktail glasses and food storage. Plus, the right jars can make your kitchen shelves and pantry look beautifully coordinated and organised.

  1. Invest in reusable food and drinks containers

One the easiest ways to reduce your waste is by storing your food properly, so it’s important to invest in reusable food and drink containers. Glass jars can be great for storing your coffee, nuts, smoothies, dried foods and pulses, but it’s a great idea to also invest in some natural, reusable containers like Pyrex-style glass dishes,  stainless steel bento boxes or silicone lids which you can use for meal prepping or saving your leftovers.

  1. Compost your food waste

A compost bin is a great addition to your kitchen or garden. There are some really good options out there for cheap and easy to implement composting options for your garden, and there are also clean, tabletop versions which you can keep in your kitchen available or community bins in your local area. Worm farms are ideal for those with limited space as they fit neatly on a balcony. 

  1. Use food scraps to make your own cleaning products

Food can be used for really effective cleaning products. Ingredients like distilled white vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda and sugar can be used to polish kitchen worktops, clean windows and remove stains whilst killing that pesky bacteria. Combine these with essential oils for a beautiful smelling home.

  1. Swap tea-bags for tea leaves

I don’t know about you but we average upwards of 5 cups of tea each per day, every day. That equates to almost 2,000 tea bags in our landfills per person in a year! Some teabags are made from, or sealed using plastic which not only sheds billions of particles of microplastic into each cup you drink but also end up in our landfills. To reduce this, swap your tea bags for tea leaves in a metal strainer instead. The tea leaves are often better quality too, so it’s really a win-win.

  1. Repair holes in clothes

It may sound obvious, but too often clothes are thrown away for having small holes, a broken zipper or a lost button even though these can be sown up very easily, without the need for any seamstress skills. Make an excuse to visit an older relative and ask them for tips if you’re really stuck, it’ll be a great bonding experience which you’ll find therapeutic.

  1. Ditch disposable for natural materials

There are some really great natural fibres on the market which provide brilliant and budget-friendly alternatives to disposable products like bamboo cotton pads, metal razors, natural loofah’s, plastic-free q-tips, natural tampons, cloth face wipes.

  1. Save food scraps for homemade stock and natural dyes

Food scraps can be used in a whole heap of ways like turning root veg stalks into homemade stock, apple cores and skins into apple cider vinegar, regrowing your roots, baking old bread into croutons and french toast, using banana skins for cleaning…I could go on…but one of our favourites is natural tie-dying. 

Simply using your food scraps and water, turmeric can be used to create yellow tones; red onion for pink; red cabbage leaves for purple and avocado skins for dusty pinks and browns. Plus, it’s a great way to bring life back into that white t-shirt you split red wine on!

  1. Request for no junk mail to be put through your letterbox

Another easy one, add a small sign to your front door or letterbox requesting that companies do not post you junk mail. Chances are you’re probably not interested in selling your house right now or need another plastic tradie magnet for your fridge. But when you do, you’ll open a web browser not your letterbox to find the best options.

  1. Use cloth nappies instead of disposable

A staggering 3.75 million disposable nappies are used each day in Australia and New Zealand, and it takes about one cup of crude oil to make each nappy. This is a lot for landfills, with conventional disposable nappies estimated to take up to 150 years to break down. Making a switch to cloth nappies is the more environmentally-friendly option, and is easier than ever with the modern cloth nappies currently available. You might also like to consider a cloth nappy washing service, but bear in mind the energy and emissions associated with transportation.

  1. Swap to rechargeable batteries

Never again find yourself hunting around in that draw you dump everything from pens, foreign coins, remote controls, keys that you have no idea what they open, letters you’re saving for…what was it again, random cards and pairs of glasses, for batteries again and switch to rechargeable types. Keep your batteries in two small glass jars, write ‘Flat’ and ‘Charged’ on the lids. Invest in quality rechargeable batteries and a charger. Charge a group of batteries and store in the ‘Charged’ jar, put the rest in the ‘Flat’ jar and charge as needed. When the remote goes flat, you know where to go. Thank us later.

  1. Prep!

Making meals instead of buying takeout or ready meals is a great way to reduce waste and save on all of those disposable take-away containers. You’ll use all the food you purchased at the supermarket, cut down on packaging of food items, and reduce the carbon footprint of your food while you’re at it. Dehydrators are great too for healthy snacks to store in your cupboards. Keep it really easy, and save time, by cooking food in bulk and eating it throughout the week.

What do you think of these tips? Do you have any other steps to add?