Are you all craving the waves as much as we are?
If yes, you are probably also dreaming vividly about the next surf vacation.. one day. Well, when that day comes we best be prepared!
Since we do not only dream of surfing but also dream of the time being spent in clean oceans and a healthy environment, this little travel break seems like the perfect time to pause and think about ways we can make our next surf tour a bit more sustainable. Here are a couple of simple ways with which your next surf trip will be the greenest so far.
Green ways lead to green waves
All you ocean lovers will probably agree with us, that a vacation does not start the moment you arrive at the destination but that the journey is just as much a part of the adventure. And when it comes to our impact on the environment the journey is possibly the most important part. Our aim isn’t to give anyone a bad conscience for their choice of transportation.. you do you. But we do what to challenge you to get creative within your decision process! If you usually drive to your fave surf spot, perhaps there is a way of packing your luggage more densely, so you can fit one or two more travelers to join you. If you usually take the plane, and hire a rental car once you are there, it might be fun to switch it up and rent a car in your home city to take a road trip to the ocean. Perhaps it might even be a fun option for you to explore all the surf spots that are a reachable by train. You’ll probably be positively surprised what you can come up with and where the green road takes you.
Packing smart before you start
A surf trip actually begins even earlier, way before you step out of your house. The decisions you make while purchasing your travel and surf equipment will definitely impact how sustainable your trip will end up being. Packing lightly has always been a top hack for saving your own energy and the energy of the planet. Boredom during lockdown might be a perfect time to kick off a little self experiment to see how far you can minimize the pieces of clothing you need for one week.
Another thing you could test out at the same time is how you can pack these items most efficiently. We all know how stressful the days before a vacation can be, so chances are high that you’ll find smarter solutions when trying new packing methods in a calmer time.
At the same time you could test how practical your bags really are. We do not want to encourage you to throw out the equipment you already have, yet hanging on to items that do not serve their purpose, and give you a headache while traveling isn’t helping anyone either. Having a bag that is practical in many different ways, is functional, comfortable and robust, is key! Products we just must recommend in this context are the backpacks from our dear friend GOT BAG. They do not only look phenomenal but truly hold space for all your surf-trip essentials.
Sustainably slay your takeaway
Not only the equipment to carry your clothing and belongings in is something to consider while traveling greener but also the products you carry your drinks and food in. Buying food to take away is something we all do more when we are traveling. Especially in times of post pandemic travel visiting restaurants will probably still be replaced by ordering food to take away for a while. Having a practical lunchbox, including cutlery in reach will truly help to reduce the waste you will produce. Preparing little snacks for your day trips and taking them everywhere you go will also decrease the amount of pre packaged snacks you will feel reliant on. One more thing to consider is that it is a lot healthier for yourself and the environment to avoid carrying beverages in PET bottles. We love to support local brands here in Hanover, and are a big fan of Avoidwaste. Their reusable bottles and lunchboxes are aesthetic, practical and eco-friendly and a perfect addition to your travel essentials.
Support the local scene to be more green
Sustainable living does not only revolve around reducing your environmental impact on a personal level. Sustainable living also involves supporting local businesses, so that the local economy can have a chance to proceed and make ecological decisions based on this stability. So, when you have the choice of grabbing breakfast at an international supermarket chain, or a little locally run cafe, go for the cafe! Not only because the town you love to surf in will be supported but it’ll definitely also give you a more interesting start to the day. On the same note, souvenirs might be cheesy at times but carefully chosen pieces have it in them to bring genuine vacation memories back home and show the hosts in the place you are visiting some love.
Enforce the motion to clean the ocean
Especially as surfers we giving back to the ocean is something we obviously want to do our part in. But how? There are many ways how we can support the oceans, to make sure they can be surfed in for many generations to come.
When on a surf trip, it is essential to make sure we add as little additional strain to the water as possible. We can avoid releasing toxins into the ocean by using eco-friendly surfboard wax. Eco-friendly soap, like The Salty Soul bar we offer on the boochen website, which is not only better for the environment, but also takes up a lot less space in your luggage. Eco-friendly sunscreen is also a must. A brand that we can whole heartedly recommend is Suntribe. On their website they explain very simply why eco-friendly sunscreen is so important for the health of our reefs and what the important factors include while choosing a sunscreen that fits your needs.
As a next step it is possible to not only avoid more waste but also help to get some of the waste out, that is already in eco systems. If this is something that is near to your heart it might be a nice idea to donate an amount of money with every trip you take. We know that taking a surftrip is already expensive enough as it is, but maybe there are possibilities how you could do it in a fun way that doesn’t cost much for you as an individual. Like planning a gamenight with friends where everyone pays a few euros to enter (only as much as your next coffee would cost) and the winner gets to chose what ocean-friendly cause the money collected goes to? Another way you can combine getting trash out of the eco-systems with expenses you would spend anyways is to buy surfwear made of recycled plastic, such as the bikinis we sell here at boochen. Feel free to have a look around on our website to see all the fun and practical styles we have to offer.
Look around your feet to keep the landscape neat
Let’s be honest and talk about a topic that is often avoided in these types of blog posts: Taking a wee in nature seems like the most natural and therefore green thing you can do. Right? But it turns out it is not. At least not in the quantity that it is being done at popular surf locations. Going back to our point of supporting locals, it is always a nice thing to combine having a drink or a snack at a restaurant nearby to get a little toilet sesh in as well. If there really isn’t any toilet nearby, or shops are closed due to Covid, a shovel is your very good friend. And most importantly remember that leaving tissues or toilet paper in the bushes is a big no no, no go!
A helpful hack is also to always have a roll of trash bags nearby. If possible go for ones that are biodegradable. In case it does happen that a rush of wind carries it away, it wont be an added harm to the environment. The friend-group we go surfing with has made it into a challenge to always leave a spot cleaner than we have found it. Feel free to steal the idea, because with this attitude we will have cleaner beaches in no time.
Have a greener view by taking care of you
Another tipp that comes too short in listings of sustainability hacks, is that it is important for you to take care of yourself as much as you take care of the environment around you. It is difficult to think straight, let alone creatively if you are under pressure, and if you keep the weight of the world on your shoulders. We truly believe that the best results in terms of living a balanced and sustainable lifestyle is to have fun with it! We like to say „The best surfer is the one having the most fun“ and the same thing is true for this. Choosing greener options while traveling isn’t supposed to be scary, or close you off to opportunities. In the contrary, it gets you out of your comfort zone in a positive way to experience traveling more intensely.
Taking care of yourself also means to make things easier for yourself, which is possible in many ways without harming the environment. It’s the little things like having a cup of fair-trade coffee after a surf session. Or having a super comfy poncho at hand, made of organic cotton. A surf poncho is one of the most simple purchases you can make, to make a beach day more easy going. You can change really easily underneath it and it warms you up effectively on a windy day. A label that is dear to us, and who offer the loveliest surfer ponchos is wiemeer. Their on demand system does not only allow for a sustainable production but also ensures that each hand made poncho is unique. But we warn you, with one of these ponchos you’ll get excited about getting out of the water, just to put it on.
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