Packing up and heading out on the road is an attractive idea. The freedom of deciding where to lay your head each night is an exciting proposition. However, this type of lifestyle can come with a cost. While some argue that living the van life is better for the environment, there are still significant areas of this lifestyle that can have a negative impact on the environment. Living the van life doesn’t need to be bad for the environment. With a few minor changes, you can easily live a sustainable van life.
Waste and Recycling
Most elements of the sustainable van life manifesto are things that we should all be doing anyway. The difference is that living in a campervan makes these issues more noticeable. Reducing the amount of waste you produce is a good example of this. When you find your living space reduced, waste in things like food packaging becomes immediately apparent. Avoiding single use plastic can help reduce the amount of waste you produce, and help you realise how much waste you might produce in normal circumstances.
Where Do You Park?
Being able to park up for the evening wherever you like is part of what makes van living so appealing. However, being completely free to wild camp wherever you like is not fully compatible with sustainable van life. Try to be aware of the wildlife and even the plantlife of the area that you are planning to park. Truly wild camping can cause damage to the ecosystem, so try to avoid parking up anywhere that might be damaging.
Sustainable Choices
Embrace the low-waste, leave no trace lifestyle. Modern life is full of waste. Throw away, single use items are the antithesis of the sustainable van life lifestyle. Embracing sustainable choices means making sure that when you leave a site, you leave no trace that you were there. This means no rubbish, no toilet mess and no used water run off. You should also try to ensure that you use reusable products instead of disposable.
Green Power
Most of the energy that we use and consume in this country is from unsustainable and non-renewable energy sources. This doesn’t need to be the case with your campervan. While the UK energy supply is becoming increasingly green, it is possible to make your van almost entirely eco friendly.
Firstly, consider whether you could use an electric vehicle. They have a reduced potential mileage without the need to refuel, but they do not consume as many fossil fuels.
Secondly, consider whether you could attach solar panels to your van, or bring loose solar panels with you. These can help solidify the green credentials of your van by helping to produce your own electricity.
Drive Responsibly
The way that you drive affects how eco-friendly your van can be. Speeding up too quickly and slowing down too quickly is an inefficient use of fuel. Driving slowly, and most importantly, driving less, is an essential way to make your van life more sustainable.
Sustainable Campervan Choices With Denby
Sustainability is important to Denby Campervans, and we are glad that it is important to you too. That’s why we’d love to talk you through what options you might have when it comes to building your perfect camper for a sustainable van life.
Give us a call, or get in contact, and let’s see what we could build together.
