While it’s fun to unwind during the summer after a long year of studying, something you should never slack-off on is doing your part to protect the environment. To get an A+ from Mother Earth, follow these tips for being eco-friendly in the summer.
Use a reusable water bottle
Maintaining proper hydration during the summer is important, but plastic water bottles create a large amount of unnecessary waste. In addition to their exponentially higher price tag compared to free tap water, the production, transportation, and disposal of plastic water bottles wreaks havoc on the environment. Commit to drinking from a reusable water bottle to do your wallet and the planet a favor.
Order less take out
While ordering take-out food is super convenient, it requires the use of wasteful packaging. If you make meals at home, you can utilize reusable plates and silverware to eat and store your food instead of plastic containers and cutlery.
Use eco-friendly sunscreen
Even protecting your skin can hurt the environment if you use the wrong sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens often contain harmful ingredients such as oxybenzone. As you swim in the water, this chemical washes off and damages the ocean and coral reefs. To prevent this from happening, opt for a safer and more-natural mineral sunscreen that contains zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Be mindful of what you recycle
Believe it or not, recycling isn’t always a good thing. If you throw unrecyclable items into the bin, you could potentially contaminate the entire batch. Recycling contamination happens more often than you might think—nearly 25 percent of the materials Americans recycle are contaminated. Some materials you should avoid recycling include items with food or grease on them, plastic bags, batteries, chip bags, and other non-recyclable materials.
Ride your bike
Take advantage of the warmer summer weather and commit to riding your bike more. The choice to ride your bike instead of driving will help reduce air pollution caused by car engines, and it will help you live a healthier lifestyle.