Summer is officially in full swing, which means it’s the perfect time to get outside and enjoy everything the season has to offer. Long bike rides, hikes, swimming, and camping are all great ways to spend your time this summer.

While most outdoor activities are good for your mental and physical health, many of them can be revamped to be more eco-friendly to help the environment, too.

It’s impossible to ignore the effects of climate change right now. The average surface temperature of the planet has risen over two degrees since the 19th century. While that doesn’t seem like much, this trend will cause devastating effects to the planet if changes aren’t made.

Those changes can start with you and your family. With that in mind, let’s look at a few green summer activities you can do this season, as well as ways to make some of your favorite hobbies more environmentally sound.

Greenify Your Hobbies

One of the easiest ways to start making your summer greener is to turn the things you already do into more eco-friendly activities. For example, if your family loves to go camping in the summer, there are plenty of ways you can make things better for the environment, including:

Composting your trash
Buying organic food
Utilizing used or rented equipment
Getting biodegradable soap and toothpaste

As a good rule of thumb, you should always leave your campsite cleaner than you found it. Properly dispose of all of your waste, recycle as much as possible, and respect the wildlife that surrounds you for a greener camping experience. The same principles can be applied to almost any outdoor activity you partake in this summer. Keep them in mind when you’re packing for a hike or even a picnic in the park.

Summer is also a great time to spruce up your home and get things clean and organized. Even on those “rainy days” you’re not spending outdoors, you can make things more eco-friendly by using green cleaning products. They’re less harsh on your skin, reduce allergens, and cut back on pollutants in the air that can harm the environment.

Try Something New

In addition to greenifying your existing hobbies, try to think of some new activities your whole family can enjoy that will benefit the planet. An easy option is starting a garden in your backyard. You can make it as big or small as you want, choose what to plant, and teach your kids valuable lessons about how things grow. Plus, gardening is a great way to reduce stress, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Spending as much time outside as possible with your kids will get them more excited about green activities. Everything from going out to look at the stars to moving your family game night outside can inspire your kids to treat the planet with more respect. Still stuck on creative ideas? Try some of the following to incorporate an eco-friendly mindset into a fun project:

Create a birdhouse with recycled materials
Build a backyard obstacle course with repurposed items
Create an outdoor recycling center for your home
Plant a tree
Clean up your local beach
Cook dinner outside with a solar oven

Teaching your kids the importance of taking care of the earth will help them continue these practices into adulthood. Their generation can turn the state of the environment around and lessen the impact of climate change. So, get creative this summer with your hobbies and activities. It’s easier than ever to make things green, and you might be surprised at how much fun it is to know you’re doing something good for the planet.

Author: Noah Rue