The amazing summer weather is finally here! Long walks on the beach, picnics at the park, and BBQ’s with family and friends are on the horizon. But with summer plans comes something not-so-amazing— plastic pollution.
By now, we’re all accustomed to having all things disposable. Plates, cups, straws, cutlery— all used and disposed of within 15-20 minutes. As convenient as it can be, we’re paying a hefty price for the amount of waste we’re creating.
But don’t worry, we’re not here to stop your summer plans. We’re here to help you make them better and more sustainable. You can still enjoy BBQ’s, travels, and picnics without the plastic waste guilt. And we’re telling you how.
These are a few tips to help you have the most sustainable summer yet. Let’s dive in!
If the warm weather has you ready to hit the beach, enjoy a picnic at the park, or go for a hike, these tips ensure you keep your summer plans eco-friendly. Whether you’re out and about or having friends over for a cookout, keep in mind the most basic sustainable habits:
♻ Reduce
♻ Reuse
♻ Recycle
♻ Refuse
♻ Repurpose
These are a few other ways to be sustainable while still enjoying the warm weather.
1. Buy Groceries From Your Local Farmer’s Market
Instead of shopping from big supermarket chains, opt for a visit to your local farmer’s market. Not only is the produce fresh and seasonal, but you also skip lots of plastic packaging from the supermarket. Plus, you support the local economy!
Most farmer’s markets sell more than just fruits and veggies. You can also find natural beauty products, flowers, pastries, sauces, bread, and more. Ideal for making it your one-stop shopping destination for the summer.
Not sure where your nearest farmer’s market is? Simply type your location into this website to find your new go-to farmer’s market.
2. Help Clean Up Your Local Parks + Beaches
With little effort, you can offer a helping hand to tackle pollution on your local beaches and parks. Simply pick up any debris you see when visiting your local beach, lake, or park, and dispose of it correctly. Even if you pick up 10 pieces of garbage, you’re making a difference and leading by example.
If you want to involve your friends and family to make it more fun, challenge them to see who picks up the most garbage in 5 minutes. You’ll be actively helping to tackle plastic pollution while engaging others to contribute. Plus you get to enjoy clean natural spaces on your visit.
3. Leave No Trace
Whether you’re camping, hiking, or visiting a beach, it’s important to remember to leave no trace. This means taking with you everything you brought, including any garbage you generate even if it’s compostable. To ensure you can do this, bring a garbage bag with you to carry everything out.
If there are garbage cans to dispose of your stuff, but they’re full, take it home and dispose of it there. Avoid piling up garbage bags on an already full can. This helps in keeping the spaces cleaner and keeping wild animals from feasting on garbage bags.
4. Walk or Bike More Often
Warm weather is the perfect excuse to spend more time walking or riding your bike. If you’re visiting a friend or going out to eat, choose to walk or bike instead of driving. Not only do you stay active but you also generate zero CO2 emissions.
By choosing to bike, you generate 10 times less CO2 than riding a car!
5. Eat More Plants
This BBQ season, try to make plant-based foods the star of the show, instead of meat. By choosing to eat more plants and fewer animals, you’re significantly reducing your carbon footprint. Don’t worry, you don’t need to sacrifice flavor with plant-based options— these are a few delicious recipes to try on your next cookout.
If you do have animal products on your menu, opt for organic, local meats! The nearest farmer’s market is a great place to shop for local meats and produce.
6. Always Carry Your Reusables
What better way to tackle plastic pollution than avoiding single-use plastics altogether? Plastic straws are one of the top 10 items found in our oceans around the globe. ¹ And to make matters worse, most recycling machines won’t take them since they’re too small. Plus, the to-go paper coffee cups are not recyclable either!
Luckily, the solution to this problem is easy: reusable silicone straws, cups, and lids. Simply carrying your reusables with you helps in reducing + diverting plastic waste from our oceans. Although carrying your reusables is an easy-to-adopt habit, life goes by fast and it’s easy to forget your reusables at home. We know the struggle! So we came up with a solution.
Make sipping easy + sustainable with our on-the-go travel cases. You’ll find a keychain with a silicone straw in it to take your favorite reusable straw wherever you go. Plus we have a silicone straw + universal stretchy lid on a travel case for green, spill-free coffee runs.
Don’t forget your reusable silicone cup along with your straw + lid!
Make sustainability fun— GoSili!
Having a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to be boring or complicated. At Gosili, we‘re bringing the silliness into sustainability with fun, reusable products the whole family loves. This way, you can easily help tackle plastic pollution with products you actually enjoy using!
But, Why Silicone?
The answer is simple— silicone is far superior to plastic. It’s safe, hypoallergenic, more sustainable, and lasts longer. Unlike plastic, silicone is free from toxic chemicals and is heat resistant. Yup— dishwasher and microwave safe, plus you can safely boil it to sterilize.
By choosing Gosili, you’re shifting away from toxic, single-use plastic into a more sustainable lifestyle. What other ways do you practice having a sustainable lifestyle? Let us know in the comments!
Get your on-the-go sustainable straws and universal stretchy lids here.
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