As we head into the summer holiday, it’s a great opportunity to live a bit more sustainably, so here are 10 tips that shouldn’t be too difficult to try!

Having a staycation?

1. Going on a picnic? Try to avoid the single use cutlery and plates. They’re not cheap and they fill up park bins quickly (and the wildlife get attracted by all the leftover foodstuff which can cause a lot of mess!).

Also, try to dodge the prepacked food. Again, it’s more expensive and creates more single use plastic waste that will probably go straight to landfill

2. Fancy an ice cream? Have one in a cone, rather than in a pot. Then there’s nothing to throw away at the end!

Try local ice cream parlours, like Fabios in Letchworth & Hitchin to keep your pounds local

3. If you’re having a barbecue, look for sustainably sourced charcoal, or dodge the charcoal altogether.

Avoid single use foil barbecue; not only are they wasteful, they’re also quite dangerous. The ground (or table) underneath retains the heat (particularly on the beach) and if you walk barefoot on that ground afterwards, it can cause serious burns, so please take care!

4. Check out the amazing things to do in the local area. There’s so much to do, including Agent Brains Escape Rooms in Letchworth, National Trust events at Wimpole & Shaws Corner, local markets, summer courses at Letchworth Settlement and lots of free events too. The more we participate in our local economy, and reduce our travel distance, the better!

5. Plan a sustainable family activity. You could have a declutter and donate the good stuff to charity, or do a litter pick in your area? It’s such a satisfying thing to do, and it gets everyone off their tech for a bit!!

Are you lucky enough to be going away this summer? There’s loads you can do too!

6. Do you usually throw away your leftovers before you go? This time, why not offer them to friends and neighbours? It’s an easy way to reduce food waste

7. Looking for a new holiday outfit? Head to your local charity shop first. They often have amazing hidden gems, sometimes new from the retailer, so bag a bargain and donate to charity at the same time!

8. Going all-inclusive? Take reusable water bottles and cups. The amount of single use cups at all-inclusive hotels is shocking, and generally the quality is poor. Enjoy your beer in a sturdy reusable cup!

9. Turn the air conditioning off when you’re away from your room. It’s easily to forget or leave on because we want the room to be cool the minute we’re back there, but it’s really wasteful, and these days most a/c units work really quickly

10. Use public transport if you can and it’s safe. You get a more authentic experience of the place you’re visiting and it’ll reduce your carbon footprint while you’re there

Have a great summer break, whatever you’re doing!

If you have any tips, why not get in touch at comet.letters@newsquest.co.uk.