A guide to eco-friendly motorhome travel

Sustainability (in other words ensuring that the things we do now have as little damaging impact on the future as possible) is increasingly important. Earth is facing ecological challenges which we must all do our bit to address to ensure a safe and healthy world, and thankfully the awareness of this responsibility is spreading. There are measures being taken throughout all aspects of our daily lives which, individually, may seem small and insignificant but which, in combination, amount to a bold statement of compassion for our planet and our descendants.
In terms of travel, ensuring you leave as small a carbon footprint as possible is key – and for leisure vehicle users this means things like driving more economically and accelerating gently or booking in to campsites which use renewable energy sources. In this edition of our blog we’ll look deeper into the importance of sustainable behaviour, offering a few important tips and guidelines for you to think about.

Reduce your onboard domestic waste by recycling everything that it’s possible to recycle – food packaging, etc. Put everything into designated containers or bags for the different types of recycling (cardboard, glass, metal cans, wet / food waste, etc). Keep these onboard (in the garage space if necessary) until you find a public collection point.
Don’t use disposable plastic if at all possible. Replace single-use products with reusable solutions. Abandon your usual toiletries or domestic products and opt for zero-waste – organic soaps and biodegradable washing-up liquid, for example. It is even possible to purchase things like eco-friendly suncreams and mosquito spray, which you should opt to do if you can. Every little bit helps.
When you are leaving a campsite or leisure vehicle park, you should aim to leave no evidence that you were there. In other words, ensure things are left exactly as they were when you found them, if not better. Dispose of your waste in designated bins and never leave it (even if bagged up) on your pitch for someone else to dispose of. Even worse is ‘fly tipping’ your rubbish, so don’t do this. Be responsible.

Common household cleaning products often include trace amounts of pollutants. Taken individually, the amount may be almost insignificant – but, when considered collectively on the global scale, it offers up an environmental concern. You should opt for biodegradable cleaning supplies for your trip (as well as back home). These include eco-friendly washing-up liquids and domestic cleaning sprays. You should also opt for environmentally friendly shower or wash products. There are many brands out there which make the effort to be sustainable.
Eco-friendly items you should look at buying to take on your travels for domestic use:·     Toilet fluid·     Washing up products·     Cleaning liquids·     Shower gel and shampoo

When there is a chill in the air and you are tempted to put on the vehicle’s heating system or use any portable heaters you may have brought onboard, try to resist for as long as possible. Only use portable heaters at the absolute coldest times. Explore other methods of taking the edge off – a warm drink, a hot water bottle, a blanket, a fleece top, etc. Try to avoid unnecessary energy consumption to heat your vehicle. On the other hand, when the conditions are warm and you are tempted to use the vehicle’s air conditioning to cool things down, try opening windows or the sunroof instead to achieve pleasant airflow. Bear in mind that at higher speeds, though, open windows tend to increase the air resistance of your vehicle, which will lead to a fuel consumption increase.

This is a fancy way of saying ‘the way you drive’.  Always adhere to the correct tyre pressure across all tyres, as this will go a long way to being able to achieve optimum performance. Slow down and cruise the vehicle at a slower speed – say, 60mph. Reduce the weight of your vehicle by packing more efficiently, and lightly, if possible. More fuel is needed to achieve the vehicle’s peak speed the heavier it is. Minimise unnecessary acceleration, braking and overtaking. All of these measure combined will enhance fuel efficiency, and this is a significant contribution to your sustainable travel.

When you’re back at home prior to setting off on your next trip, consider the benefits of ‘slow travel’. In other words, adopt a different mindset which is less about the miles you cover than the things you experience. Don’t travel hundreds of miles when there are things much closer to home which would be just as interesting and relaxing. Or, if you do venture to a location a long distance from home, set yourself a responsible boundary to travel within once you are there – i.e. explore the things no more than a few miles from this central destination. Travel to them by bicycle or on foot, to reduce your fuel consumption and general travel impact. Immerse yourself in local culture and seek out all that makes the locations you visit unique. Don’t hurry your holiday – seize every opportunity to uncover hidden landscapes and make the most of your journey.

The simple truth about sustainability for the average leisure vehicle traveller is that it is almost impossible to be completely sustainable (the very fact you are out on the road in a vehicle which consumes fuel, for instance). However, the important thing is to do as much as you can to modify your behaviour and therefore have an effect on your potential impact. Every little bit of effort counts when taken in combination. Safe and sustainable travels!