How to combine vanlife and eco-friendly travel?

Whether you’re on the van or camper road, are your holidays laughing with ecology or environmental impact?

The covid-19 health crisis exacerbated the trend of slow tourism and our desire to escape. The desire to disconnect is becoming increasingly urgent, the return to sources becomes intimately linked to our well-being.

The journey is gradually changing and becomes eco-friendly with new practices oriented towards a more environmentally friendly approach. It tends to respect fundamentals: tourism aimed at local populations and concerned with its environmental approach.

The van adventure makes it possible to achieve this convergence between the journey and the need to reconnect to nature. But how do you combine your thirst for freedom and eco-friendly practices?

1. The vehicle and its environmental impact

When buying your van, why not think about the occasion market? You will save money while preserving the environment. Your choice can also be directed to hybrid or electric vehicles that offer a significant decrease in CO2 releases.

As with the purchase of a home, attention should also be paid to the composition of your new vehicle: materials used, painting, etc. Environmental standards on products used (“NF Environnementale or Eco Label European for example), and materials produced in France will be a solid basis for your desires to (re)connexion durable à la nature.

Finally, we recommend that you pay particular attention to the maintenance of your vehicle in order to avoid possible pollution that would not be detected without regular checks.

2. Drive in eco-friendly mode

When planning your itinerary, think about the secondary roads that will be the opportunity to discover different landscapes by avoiding more polluting highways.

The van gives a new meaning to the journey: the art of taking its time, more “authentic” that makes the praise of the slowness to discover otherwise the riches of the territories.

However, it is necessary to adhere to a few simple principles: to check the tyre inflation (underweights, they drastically increase your fuel consumption), anticipate the obstacles to the maximum to limit the timeless braking, or not overload the passenger compartment in order to reduce the energy expenditure. Speed also plays a major role. Just like by car, do not uselessly press the accelerator: rolling quickly increases the production of CO2.

Also think not to air or heat the cabin unnecessarily (the insulation studied upstream takes its meaning here). Fresh temperatures are an opportunity to smash in a cozy plaid and enjoy a hot-hot chocolate with a big sweater!

It can be interesting to invest in solar panels during the development, which will allow you to recharge your electrical objects with more autonomy.

Last important point: movements once the van is stationed. The ideal to move is to prefer the use of soft locomotion means. A bike ride to the market or a walk to pick up a baguette for breakfast are all actions that allow you to act directly on your carbon balance.

3. Gastronomy and sustainable van travel: dream or reality?

Our diet has a real impact on our environment: consumption of products packed in plastics, fruits and vegetables that come from the other end of the world... How can we feed in a more sustainable way, especially on a trip?

To begin with, it is useful to plan fabric bags to do your shopping and thus avoid the purchase of an enema plastic bag (so reusable is it, do you not already have an impressive collection?).

These bags, or tote-bags , ideally made of cotton, are washable, light and allow you to carry your purchases, including those purchased in bulk. Indeed, your races can turn to these rays that allow you to take only the amount strictly necessary. What to save for you and for the planet!

Roaming is also a great way to discover all these craftsmen of taste who work around the world. It is possible to taste local and seasonal products, to eat fresh, savouring local specialties and avoiding overpacking.

Also think of bringing you glass jars to fill in at merchants! There are also ecological packagings that replace food film: bee wrap , that we invite you to discover without further delay!

Finally, small tips when you cook: think about the lids to heat your food less long and limit the water flow time. In fact, investing in mitigators is an ingenious system that reduces flow. Finally, to taste the culinary wonders that you will discover, be planning and equip you with dishes so that you do not have to use disposable containers. And for the dishes, two wash basins will be perfect to avoid waste of water.

4. The best ally of the vanlifeur: his gurus!

It is made of stainless steel or metal, hermetic and insulated. Perfect for your daily consumption while allowing you to avoid bottles of water, it will also be valuable to drink a hot coffee or tea, including during a hike. The purchase of this object can be made on the internet but to avoid the deliveries and pollution it generates, we advise you to turn to a biological store or sports equipmenter.

Once your precious gourdes are purchased, it will be crucial to ensure your autonomy over 5 to 10 litres of water. You can therefore opt for a bomb that you can reuse frequently without risk to see moving plastic microparticles into your water, as would be the case with water bombs purchased in supermarket, which are not designed to be reused.

5. Are eco-responsible cleaning and travelling compatible?

Who says home says cleaning, gold, the products used are often not environmentally friendly or even simply toxic! Yet it is necessary to live in a healthy space, so how to do so?

With regard to household products, you can prefer organic products, some can be purchased in bulk (white vinegar in organic store for example), but, to go further, why not make your own cleaners?

Just a few ingredients to clean and clean the surfaces: white vinegar, lemon, baking soda and a bit of elbow oil will be your winning combo!

With regard to laundry, you should know that books and recipes for self-realization are numerous, but an authentic soap from Marseille alone can render you many services: cleaning linen or dishes, for example. It's multitasking and especially low expensive! Of course, permanently banish disposable products such as single-use wipes!

6. Ecological management of waste on holiday

Although you were paying particular attention to your consumption, you will still produce waste. In van, it is essential to organize their treatment in order to avoid the proliferation of bacteria and their nauseabond fumets that may quickly embalm your little cocoon.

With this in mind, it is interesting to have several sorting bins in order to be able to throw in the appropriate trash: glass, carton/paper and household waste. To limit your waste, take biodegradable elements.

Finally, a glass jar with lid will serve as a small compost pot, and you will be able to bury your food detritus (a gardening shovel accessory will be very useful). Do not forget that fire risk exists in all seasons, and that in a spirit of nature protection it is best to pick up or bury your hair, rather than burn them. In this way, leave nothing behind you and park to the maximum in regulated places.

7. Does hygiene rhyme with ecology on a journey?

Roaming imposes a reflection on body hygiene. It is possible to shower directly in some vans, thanks to small (but functional) bathrooms! And for those who are not equipped with it, other solutions exist: solar shower, municipal, service station or equipped areas and location rental (camping, or even for individuals who rent a parking space on their property with possible access to certain amenities).

The products used can be solid, which avoids plastic and water pollution. You can thus favor soap, dry shampoo, toothpaste and solid deodorant. Place and water saving are on the program, as these products are less foaming and are thus rinsed faster. Ban their use in natural places (e.g. mountain lakes).

The cosmetics you will take must be limited to the strict necessary and we recommend that you prefer environmentally friendly formulas. Think about the all-in-one balm such as those based on coconut or shea that moisturize and repair the skin.