Thoughtful tips for a sustainable summer holiday
The Thought: We all need a break, pausing to rest is important for our physical and mental health. Spending a bit more time outside lowers blood pressure, improves focus, slows ageing and does wonders for stress and anxiety.
The Feeling: Freedom! With a conscious cherry on top. We’ve put together some tips to help you enjoy the summer break you deserve in the most planet-friendly fashion.
The Guide: One way to lessen your carbon footprint is to holiday in the UK. See our recommendations for city, country and beach breaks below, and some ideas on what to take with you.
The City Break: Why not visit Brighton, the UK’s most eco-friendly town? Brighton has more vegetarian and vegan restaurants per 100,000 people than any other urban area and is home to zero-waste eateries like Silo, plus a population of keen cyclists, recyclers, and allotment owners. And, you’re mere moments from the coast, so you get the best of both worlds.
The Look:
The Perfect Hemp Short Sleeve Shell Top
Essential GOTS Organic Cotton Denim High Rise Culottes
Flamingos Life Old 80s Vegan Hi Top Trainers
The Beach Break: Cornwall, the first region in the UK to have a wind farm and home of the Eden Project, is leading the way in its work to meet net-zero targets. Traveling to the Cornish coast by train is one of the UK’s most scenic journeys, and once you arrive you’re in Cornwall’s microclimate so good weather is more likely. It’s also beautiful, which helps.
The Look:
Astras EcoVero Wide Leg Shorts
ALOHAS Crossed Platform Vegan Espadrille Sandals
The Country Retreat: A trip to The Lake District is a must. A UNESCO world heritage site with environmental protections at the heart of its vision, to be " an inspirational example of sustainable development in action." As the largest national park in England, it covers over 2000 square kilometres of stunning natural landscape, green rolling hills and calming lakes.
The Look:
ALOHAS Danny Vegan Black Check Boots
Essential Fairtrade GOTS Organic Cotton Breton Top
Don’t leave without: Protecting your skin is essential, but lots of sunscreens contain harmful ingredients (avoid anything with oxybenzone, octinoxate or octocrylene). See below for our tried and tested sustainable sun cream recommendations, and some other bits we wouldn’t want to holiday without.
Green People scent free sun screen. With a high level of plant-derived ingredients, this is reef safe, water resistant and specially formulated for anyone with sensitive skin and those prone to prickly heat. A great one for all the family.
Sun Bum’s mineral sunscreen is a nasty chemical free zinc based cream that’s vegan, lightweight, and contains soothing cocoa butter and aloe vera. It also smells lovely.
High protection, 100% natural, 100% mineral, hypoallergenic and water resistant. And it comes in sustainable packaging.
Highly effective and made with 100% natural ingredients, no alcohol, aluminium or fragrance. And no staining.
Last Object Beauty Lastswab Reusable Cotton Bud
Made from rubber with a corn-based carry case. Can be used up to 1000 times for makeup touch-ups and cleaning tight spaces. A sustainable replacement for single-use cotton swabs.
Up Circle Organic Cinnamon and Ginger Chai Soap Bar
100% natural, vegan and palm oil free. Smells heavenly.