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Is it harder to be eco-friendly on vacation? While those most committed to the ecological cause are probably less inclined to compromise on their eco-responsible lifestyle, others admit that they don’t adopt very green attitudes when they’re traveling. However, there are simple tips for reducing your pile of waste, even when you’re on the move.
An Ipsos survey conducted for the Vinci Autoroutes Foundation and published in mid-July revealed that more than one in four French people (27%) throw their waste out of the car window on the road to their vacations, which includes apple cores, stones, paper, packaging, plastic bottles and cigarette butts. While it is more common to relax during the holidays, you can still adopt simple habits to significantly reduce your waste. Here are three examples of proof!
Bring a pocket ashtray
More than 4,000 billion pieces of waste per year in the world and around twelve years to decompose. This is the unflattering carbon footprint of a cigarette butt, one of the most common types of litter found on the beach. In the Ipsos survey cited above, 24% of respondents admitted to frequently throwing their cigarette butt out of their car window. A habit that is all the more problematic in the summer, given the high risk of forest fires.
Take water filters
If the use of the gourd has become part of the customs of many consumersthe task can become more difficult when you go on vacation, especially in hot climates where running water is not always drinkable. In these specific cases, the temptation to opt for a plastic bottle of mineral water can be great. What if we opted for water filters instead? There are small portable models that are very practical to carry when traveling.
Bring your own cutlery and cosmetics
Another common source of waste during the holidays: disposable utensils. Between single-use cutlery used for a picnic on the beach or at a motorway service station, or even toiletry samples from hotel rooms, the pile of waste can quickly pile up. What if we invested in reusable stainless steel cutlery? As for cosmetic products, a trip to the pharmacy and the supermarket to buy creams, shampoos and shower gels at the start of the holidays, and that’s it! The most motivated can even opt for solid cosmetic products.