When you want to try surfing for the first time, you probably do it during a surf holiday. When you fall in love with surfing you don’t want to surf your whole life at the same beach. Driving or even flying to your surf spots is kind of normal and usual, but did you ever think about being an eco-friendly surfer?

We from the Feel Surf Camp Las Palmas want to inspire you to do five easy things you can do before and during your surf holidays to become ♻️ an eco-friendly surfer ♻️.

1️⃣ Start at home

Only one hour left until your airplane to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria will come to fly you to your surf holidays. And then, there it is, the feeling of hunger. Not only that food and drinks at the airport are super expensive and usually unhealthy, but almost all the groceries are also packed into plastic. ? But did you know that you are allowed to bring your own food and snacks to the airplane? Consider the following points and you will not only start your holidays eco-friendly, but you will save money, too!

❓ how many snacks do you need for the time between you leaving the house to your destination❓

? mind the time: when flying to a time you normally eat, you will be hungry!

? do you need or want to take care of a diet plan? Only use recipes you know work for you!

? what could you store at your destination if you don’t eat it during your trip?

❓ which snacks are not liquid❓(you only can bring food that is not liquid!)

? nuts and  dried fruits

? muffins, cake, cookies

? protein bars

? bread with cheese, tofu, or sausage

? vegetable sticks

? fruits like apples, grapes, or pears

❓ which snacks are easy to eat❓

? make sure you can eat it with your hands or only a fork as you might have to hold it with the other hand.

? do I have to wash my hands before because I need to touch it?

For more inspiration on a “surfers diet” and what to eat during a flight check out this link!

2️⃣ Reduce your CO₂  emission

Most of the people who are visiting the Canary Islands for a surf and yoga retreat are coming by plane. As we all know that is not the best when you try to reduce your ecological footprint, but here are two options to fly more eco-friendly:

♻️ a direct flight instead of changing

♻️ looking for eco-friendly airlines (The effort and things airlines do to be more eco-friendly varies, but here are two inspirations: Trafalgar and Green vacations!)

Once you are landed we offer to pick you up at the airport. When you are in your apartment or the hostel and you want to explore the city you have options again:

♻️ many great places can be reachable on foot

♻️ you can rent a bike

♻️ you can rent an electronic motorcycle

♻️ you can take a bus (they are cheap!)

♻️ you can go on a trip with us

If you are interested in giving nature something back, check out our project, the Surfer’s Forest.

3️⃣ Reduce plastic during your stay       

Plastic is everywhere, but at some point, we can reduce or even replace plastic easily.

When you are not staying in a hotel you might go to the supermarket to buy some food and drinks. To reduce plastic the first step would be to look for food that is not packed into plastic, but latest at the cash desk you will be asked if you want a plastic back (“bolsa”). The best solution is to bring your own bag(s), so you can smile and reply with a friendly “no, gracias”. Another thing you can do to avoid plastic is going with your own bag to a “frutería”. In these greengroceries, most of the fruits and veggies are without a package and on top, they are usually even cheaper than in the supermarket.

? bring your own shopping bag

? double use plastic bags (for example for the garbage or to fly home your dirty clothes)

? bring a bottle you can refill instead of buying many plastic bottles every day

Our insider tip: Buy a few things like fruits, cheese and bread for a picnic and explore nature on Gran Canaria! Here are few tips from us!

4️⃣ Keep the beach clean

Surfing is fun, but you might be very hungry afterward. Whether you have a fancy lunch break or a romantic sunset dinner, eating outside and making a picnic is great. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible not to produce any kind of rubbish. When you buy your things for a picnic or an afternoon at the beach you can use the tips above to reduce plastic. Furthermore look for sustainable alternatives when it is about plates, straws, and cups. After you have used your dishes and packages don’t leave them at the beach. Mostly the next dustbin is just around the corner. Take the effort to go to the dustbins and throw the rubbish away. This is not only helping the environment but also the other people here on the island who want to be on rubbish-free beaches, just like you! Furthermore, there are restaurants to take away your food with more sustainable plates etc.

? buy less or even no plastic

? bring your rubbish to the bin

? ask and/ or look for restaurants that care about the environment

5️⃣ Feel like at home

We want you to feel at home when you are visiting Surf Camp Las Palmas. Things we do automatically at home should be done in your holidays as well.

For example:

? turn off the lights when you leave

? close the curtains when it is hot weather (it will stay colder)

? don’t use the air conditioning all day long

? be aware of the tap and don’t use more water than you need

Do you know more eco-friendly travel tips? Share them with the community and leave a comment!