Your choice of caravan insurance may seem an unusual factor in becoming more green in your caravanning pursuits. Nonetheless it is one of several ways in which you can lessen your carbon footprint. This short article aims to show you a number of ways in which you can improve your relationship with the environment. I hope you are pleasantly surprised about just how easily this is often achieved.
In these days of increasing environmental awareness it is interesting to note that a survey has shown that caravanners have greener credentials compared to the average motorist. In Discover more of 1 1,000 motorists it was found that caravanners are:
more prone to use energy conservation light bulbs
more likely to use their very own shopping bags
more than doubly likely to offset the carbon footprint of flights they take
regarded by a lot more than 75% of people as more environmentally friendly that folks who fly with their holidays
undertaking basic maintenance on their vehicles far more often than non-caravanning motorists, which helps reduce CO2 emissions
7% more prone to think about their environmental impact on a daily basis
Buying Caravan Insurance
So, how does a caravan enthusiast go about helping to save the planet? Firstly, and perhaps a little surprisingly comes your choice of caravan insurance. Online caravan insurance providers Towergate Bakers have developed a policy that promises to provide the carbon neutral caravan holiday. The policy is provided as a web-only product, and as a result the savings manufactured in postage and processing time should be used to offset the policy holders caravan related carbon emissions at no extra cost to the the customer.
Buying A Caravan
If you are in the market for a caravan, there are numerous of things it is possible to think about to attempt to improve your eco credentials:
Aerodynamics and Weight: Both weight and the aerodynamics of a caravan impact the volume of carbon produced when towing. The lighter and more aerodynamic the vehicle small and much more eco-friendly car may be used to tow it.
Make and Model: Caravan manufacturers such as for example Baileys (who's caravans are 75% recycleable) have grown to be increasingly eco-aware and also have made efforts to really improve their caravans. Increasingly recycling schemes and green manufacturing techniques are increasingly being introduced, so when searching for a new caravan include this in your research.
Insulation: Ensure the caravan is well insulated, as poor insulation can greatly affect the amount of CO2 produced to modify the temperature of the caravan. Also be aware that the less corrosive the shell of the caravan is the longer it will last which will subsequently defer the energy required in manufacture.
Power: Solar panels are a good option, reducing the reliance on generators and batteries. These also end up being cheaper over the longterm.
Towing Tips
There are a variety of things you can do regarding towing the caravan to reduce the volume of carbon emissions you create:
Regular servicing: This will help make sure that your car is using fuel as efficiently as you possibly can
Switch off your engine: Should you end up stuck in a traffic jam and you are obviously not going to be moving for some time, then be sure to turn off your engine. This is a good notion to cut your emissions even though you are not towing a caravan
Roof box: Select a profiled roofbox for the car as this assists the overall dynamics of your rig. And be sure to eliminate any roofbars when not in use
The proper tow car: It's important that your caravan and car are correctly matched to ensure the efficiency of your towing. You should check with the automobile and caravan manufacturers for recommendations and guidance
Carry less water: Some people carry gallons of the stuff many, many miles, that is unnecessary. Reducing the total amount lowers the weight you are towing and will result in using less fuel. The very best idea would be to fill your tanks when you reach your destination
Drive sensibly: Avoid trying to accomplish like Louis Hamilton from the lights, and be sure to increase your speed gradually as that is more fuel efficient
Avoid the rush hour: Make an effort to plan your trips and that means you are not travelling during the rush hour if possible. Also try to plan your route to avoid stop/start traffic to allow you to travel at a reliable speed
Check your tyre pressure: Getting the wrong pressure in your tyres causes your car to use more fuel, and can result in creating an unnecessary extra 10 kilos of Carbon Dioxide for each 500 miles you travel
Slow down: Reducing your speed by 10mph will result in a substantial decrease in the quantity of CO2 you produce per mile
Switch to LPG: This costs approximately �1700, however the fuel costs half the cost of regular petrol. It really is increasingly available at the pumps, and after conversion the vehicle will still be able to use standard fuel if necessary
Use BioDiesel: When you have a diesel car then fill it with BioDiesel rather than standard diesel. It really is created from sustainable vegetable material, that is normally mixed in with ordinary diesel. Your car doesn't need converting in order to use it
Choice Of Site
The green bug has even bitten Caravan sites themselves, backed by the both the Caravan Club and the Camping And Caravanning Club. The latter have increased energy efficiency and recycling, introduced eco-friendly materials, and included more honeycomb grid hardstanding which enables the grass to cultivate. Indeed its Windermere site has been hailed by The Guardian newspaper as Britain's "most green site".
There is even an award scheme for environmentally friendly sites. The scheme, setup in 1996 in a joint venture between conservationist David Bellamy and the British Holiday and Home Parks Association saw 620 sites receiving an award this season. There are three levels of the award a site can earn, these being Bronze, Silver, or Gold. You can hunt for one of these brilliant sites at bellamyparks.co.uk.
General
Finally there are a number of general actions you can take to become more environmentally aware, that aren't necessarily caravan related, but which are highly relevant to caravan holidays:
The newer the caravan the better as caravans have grown to be increasingly better insulated through the years
Save fuel on heating by wearing a supplementary layer rather than notching the heating up
Recycle your plastic bags, through the use of for multiple shopping trips, or as waste sacks
Increase the insulation in the caravan through the use of polystyrene wall linings in wardrobes and cupboards, and under seating
Make sure you use charcoal from sustainable sources when barbecuing. These will have the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) recommendation in it
Only boil as much water when you are going to use
If your site does not have recycling facilities, take the time to take your waste to municipal recycling points while on your way home. These can often be within supermarket car parks.
Use low energy bulbs and switch off lights and electrical equipment when not in use
Do the washing up with the hot water you used to boil an egg
Ideally buy a compost toilet, but failing that buy toilet fluid products - such as Thetford's Aqua Kem Green - which are formaldehyde free
On-site sinks are deeper and need more water to wash the dishes than doing them in the caravan
Buy for yourself a solar powered or perhaps a wind up radio
For less than �10 you can purchase a wind up mobile phone charger
Make an effort to walk, cycle or use public transport more when on christmas. Leave the automobile behind at the website
It is possible to become self sufficient with regard to 12 volt electricity it you install portable solar power panels (this can cost over �400)
Use biodegradable cleaning products
Hold onto items that are compostable for the heap in the home. Things such as card food containers and Egg cartons
Separate you metal, glass and paper waste. Recycling all of the aluminium cans in the united kingdom would bring about 12,000,000 fewer dustbins filled with waste a year, and 17 trees can be saved for each ton of recycled paper
Buy locally produced food from local bakers, farm shops, and farmers' markets. This reduces the amount of lorries on our roads
So there you own it, a brief but I hope useful list of methods for you to lessen your carbon footprint while taking advantage of your caravan holiday. Admittedly a few of these require investment up-front, but even putting those aside, there are plenty of cheap and also free means of improving your green credentials.