4 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Staycation

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Have you ever had a staycation? If not, then this is the perfect time to try it out. 

Between the colder weather and COVID-19, many people are choosing to stay indoors and travel no further than their town, city’s or state’s limits. Staycations are an eco-friendly way of taking time off and appreciating your surroundings. Instead of traveling far away to get that “vacation feeling”, many staycationers are exploring the beauty of their hometowns now that travel options have become limited. 

The silver lining is that by avoiding traveling far away, you not only limit your CO2 footprint, but also save money while supporting your locals! So whether you’re looking for staycation inspiration for the short or long-term, we’ve got you covered.

Here are four tips to put together an enjoyable and eco-friendly staycation of your own.

1. Go Camping or Discover Your Natural Surroundings

Roughing it in the outdoors may not be an option for everyone depending on where you live, but you can still create a camping experience nonetheless. Set up a tent in your backyard or local campground, light some candles or a bonfire and toast a marshmallow or two.

Learn outdoors skills like how to build a fire and cook over it. When you pitch a tent or stay at a cozy cabin in the woods, you’ll have more opportunities to explore the outdoors. Even if you live in an urban area, you’re likely not too far from a local campground or even a place like social media famous-tiny home cabin rentals. 

Exploring the outdoors and embracing nature will increase your appreciation for the surrounding biodiversity, therefore encouraging you to behave in a sustainable way in the future to conserve it, even on a subconscious level. 

Camping in itself isn’t always an eco-friendly option, so you should implement sustainable practices like bringing a refillable bottle, making sure you pick up all your belongings, practicing fire safety and only staying in designated camping spots. If you also decide to try hiking, make sure to follow these eco-friendly steps.

2. Stay Offline and Embrace a Low Impact Hobby

For a true staycation that is refreshing and restorative, avoid reaching for your phone or laptop even if just for a few hours. The point of a staycation is to get away from the busyness of life making the concept of a staycation perfect for helping you to live in the present moment without distractions, especially from the news and never-ending notifications. Cutting down screen time is good not only for your mental health, your relationships and your eyes, but also for your footprint if replaced with other low-carbon activities. 

Turn off notifications or your electronics and use that time for face-to-face interactions with your loved ones if possible under current COVID-19 restrictions and advice. If necessary, wear a mask around vulnerable people or commit to a social bubble to avoid potentially spreading the virus. 

If it’s difficult for you to stay offline, distract yourself with some fun activities: 

• Play board games: Get competitive during staycation with some games with your immediate friends or family. Who doesn’t love old school Monopoly, or UNO? 

• Learn a new hobby: Pick up a new hobby or improve a past one during your downtime. You’ll feel productive and may get to try something new you’ve wanted to do. Painting, sculpting, writing, DIY, gardening, playing an instrument and more. These hobbies are a great outlet for stress and carry a low environmental impact.

• Read a book: Whether you have stocked bookshelves or are near a local library, pick out a few books to read. 

Staying offline saves energy and data while leaving you mentally refreshed. These hobbies and activities are a great outlet for stress and carry a low environmental impact.

3. Order Takeout from a Local Restaurant

Although cooking can be a nice activity while “staycationing”, if you’re looking to take a break and relax from household responsibilities, ordering takeout from your favorite local restaurants can be a wonderful solution. 

This is a great way to try a new cuisine and support small businesses who may be hurting from the impact of the pandemic. Find food that comes from sustainable restaurants to further boost the eco-friendliness of your takeout choices. Ask about their packaging to ensure it’s compostable or recyclable and opt to skip plasticware or chopsticks. See if you can even use your own containers. 

Additionally, purchase takeout close to home. This limits the amount of travel the delivery person has to do. If you live close enough, you could even walk or bicycle to the restaurant for curbside pickup. In this case, opt for an e-receipt to save paper. 

These are habits and tips that you can carry over into the “new normal”. 

4. Book a Local Accommodation/Spa Day

If you’re still looking for a bigger change of scenery, you can book a room at a local hotel for ultimate staycation vibes. Also, keep an eye out for special deals and packages from local hotels and establishments that offer spa or wellness services.  

Everyone knows that the key to any staycation is relaxation and the best way to do that is to indulge yourself in a spa day be it at home or away. You can either treat yourself at a local establishment or go the do-it-yourself route. 

Use sustainable and locally-sourced wellness products and try to lower your water usage if you DIY. Alternatively, choose an eco-spa to keep with an eco-friendly mindset and make sure to look into their practices before you book to make sure that they are not greenwashing, but operating sustainably. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Relax

Take advantage of your time close to home and treat yourself to an eco-friendly staycation. You’ll feel relaxed and can fill your days with the sustainable activities mentioned in this blog and plenty more. 

These ideas are an easy way to take a break from the busyness of life, and you won’t have to worry about all the logistics of planning a big trip. Instead, you can stay at home and explore all the local possibilities until it is possible to travel freely again post-pandemic.

Remember creating a staycation can be whatever you’d like to make of it. It can be as small as going offline for a day and as big as camping at your local park grounds, purchasing from your favorite local business, or booking an overnight stay at your favorite local and sustainable accommodation. 

Author Bio:

Jane is the editor-in-chief and founder of Environment.co. She is passionate about helping people understand the importance of sustainability and actionable steps to live a greener lifestyle.

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