There is a great likelihood that many of us will be taking our holidays in the UK this year, and it’s been sad to see that so far, too many people seem to be taking our planet for granted again. It is as if we have learned nothing from this experience, with scenes of littering and overcrowding across the nation’s beauty spots.

Wherever you’re planning on holidaying this year, here are a few ways you can make your trip more eco-friendly.

Look up local bus times
Research before you go and find out local bus times. Often in the quieter villages, bus services can be few and far between, but if you know when and where to catch them, you will be able to utilise public transport when away.

The benefits of this for you would be the removal of parking worries, and a far more relaxing experience, not having to navigate narrow country roads yourself.

Take your rubbish home with you
This seems to be something that people are really struggling with. If you can carry something there, you can surely carry it back empty.

If you are worried about a sandwich packet having mayonnaise on or something being sticky for example, just make sure you always have an empty bag with you, solely for the purpose of bringing rubbish home. Pop a few into the bag that you usually take your lunch in, or into a pocket of your rucksack now, so you always have one with you. Often the bins are overflowing in popular places so be prepared to take it home.

You wouldn’t go to your friend’s house and leave it looking dirty and untidy, so why leave our beautiful public spaces like that?

Recycle your rubbish!
When you take your rubbish home, be it to your own house or your holiday accommodation, recycle it!

Check for open public toilets
Before you go, make sure that you find out where the toilets are and if they are open – it’s far nicer for everyone if people use the proper facilities. If you know there won’t be facilities, or think they might be really busy, just be prepared. Forward planning is key and really doesn’t take much extra time or energy if you have a little kit ready just to pop in your bag for trips.

Cycle or walk
If you can, take bikes and cycle around when you get to your destination. Or use a combination of bus and walking (if it’s possible for your family) to get around, meaning you get to leave your car at your accommodation for most of your trip.

These are just a few of the ways you can be a better tourist. We owe it to our planet and to each other to have some care and consideration when we go away from home.