Everyday Eco-Habits for a Sustainable Summer
“Summer is Nature’s finest gift to humans.”
Summertime . . . the livin’s easy . . . Summertime = playing in the outdoors time - since we’ll all be spending more time outside enjoying the sunshine, summer is a perfect time to be extra conscious about how our everyday habits shape surrounding environments. From sunscreen to clothing to social gatherings and food, what we consume and how we spend our time this summer can have positive or negative impacts on nature. So let’s adopt some easy breezy, everyday, summertime Eco-Habits to ensure our impact is a positive one.
Summertime Everyday Eco-Habit #1: Go Litter-LESS
Let’s start with how to have some fun outdoor activities in our favorite summer places sustainably, starting with the easiest of easy Everyday Eco-Habits- Don’t be Tosser (as my Aussie relatives say), and “Take 3 for the Sea” from whatever outdoor location you are lucky enough to be enjoying. Put simply, don’t litter as your baseline, and then take it a step further by picking up just 3 pieces of litter every time you’re outdoors.
Why is it so important that we decrease pollution from our favorite outdoor places? The most obvious reason is that it’s aesthetically unpleasing - I mean, who wants to hike or bike on a trail riddled with litter and who wants to swim in a lake, river or ocean amongst floating garbage? Yuck. The not as obvious reason is that litter is wreaking havoc on our environment. It seems no place is safe from litter - from the highest mountain tops of Mount Everest to the deepest depths of the ocean, litter has become abundant. Much of that litter eventually leads to the oceans, where it contaminates our fish, destroys our coral reefs and kelp forests, and harms our poor sea creatures. In fact, it’s estimated there are over 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic trash just in our oceans. Beach pollution has been shown to seriously disrupt coastal ecosystems around the globe. But this issue isn’t just on California’s beaches but around the country (and world) in areas such as The Great Lakes.
Since part of this pollution is caused by trash humans leave on the beach, especially on holidays like July 4th, we can be part of the solution by simply cleaning up after ourselves and disposing of our litter into the proper bins. To learn more, check out my blog post on Going Litter-Less. As you also might remember, I previously posted about Going Plastic Free in July and I thought we could celebrate it again this year! As a fun challenge this July 4th, let’s all try to pick up three pieces of plastic wherever you’re celebrating.
We can also prevent pollution in outdoor spaces by investing in some sustainable products that will last a lot longer than their single-use, usually plastic, poorly made alternatives. We all need to stay hydrated during long days in the sun, so if you haven’t already, pick out a reusable water bottle from this handy list. I am still a fan of my fav reusable water bottles from Klean Kanteen - check out my interview with Brendan from Klean Kanteen, as well as my blog post Going Bottle-Less to learn how easy it is to adopt this Everyday Eco-Habit. One of the main perks of having your own reusable water bottle is that your drink actually stays cold the whole day—win win!
You can easily decrease your plastic waste by bringing reusable plates and utensils to picnics — super affordable options can be found at chains like Walmart and Target. Epicurious put together a handy list of eco-friendly picnic necessities that you can check out here. Ekobo sells awesome reusable cutlery and tons of other outdoor products. They even have some outdoor dining bundles on sale now so check them out!
Summertime Everyday Eco-Habit #2: Go Sunscreen Less - Switch to Non-Toxic, Reef-Safe Sunscreen
Did you know the sunscreen we apply can also contribute to ocean pollution? Certain sunscreens impair algal growth and photosynthesis, and accumulate in coral tissues, ultimately leading to coral bleaching. Once coral dies off, entire marine ecosystems are under threat.
And the chemicals in sunscreen are not just bad for the environment - they can be bad for your health too. Some of the chemicals in sunscreens that are harmful include: Oxybenzone, Octinoxate, Benzophenone-1 and 2, Benzophenone-8, OD-PABA, 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor, 3-Benzylidene camphor, nano-Titanium dioxide, and nano-Zinc oxide.
So, in keeping with last month’s Everyday Eco-Habit of reducing toxins, let’s choose healthier, mineral-based sunscreens labeled “reef-safe” that don’t have harmful chemicals in them. Sunscreens with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are a great choice. Check out my blog post on Going Sunscreen-Less here, as well as my interviews with two of my green friends with expertise in this area, Beauty Counter’s Desiree Brown, and Mammavation’s Leah Segedie. And to help you find a safe sunscreen, be sure to check out this list from Mamavation, this Skin Deep Database from the Environmental Working Group, and this great list of the best reef safe sunscreens of 2025 from Travel + Leisure here. My new personal fav reef-safe sunscreen from Freaks of Nature.
As its founder, Kelly Slater (who knows a thing or two about sunscreen having been crowned World Surf League champion a record 11 times) puts it,
The beauty of the outdoors lies in its grand intentional design. We believe that every part has its purpose. Each element built perfectly to thrive. And it's within this beauty, we find our potential to protect.
Harnessing the elements to create what was thought impossible. We can learn from nature's resolve. Grow from it. Safeguard it. And when we stop mastering, and start channeling the outdoors, we unlock a new kind of performance in skincare. We reach our best where we truly belong.
In this stillness, we become freaks of nature.
I love this quote sooooo much - thanks Kelly :)
Summertime Everyday Eco-Habit #3: Go Choose sustainably made swimwear and towels
Products we tend to use more in the summer like bathing suits and towels are often made unsustainably and are contributing to pollution and widespread ecological degradation. Surprisingly, swimwear is actually one of the top contributors to microplastic pollution in the ocean. If you’re on the hunt for a swimsuit and/or towel, check out this list of the best sustainable swimsuits of 2025 and check out these sustainably made towels currently on sale! And check out my blog post on Going Clothes-LESS - it is chock full of tips on how to pick your summer duds with the lowest environmental impact.
Summertime Everyday Eco-Habit #4: Eat Seasonal and Local Summertime Foods
A super fun way we can all live more sustainably this summer is by eating locally and seasonally! Personally, summer produce is my favorite—from stone fruit and watermelon to zucchini and squash blossoms, I just can’t get enough. Eating seasonally and locally supports your local farmers, reduces your food’s carbon footprint, optimizes flavor and nutritional content, and it’s the most cost-effective. Check out this list of delicious summer recipes to incorporate more seasonal produce into your diet this season!
I can’t wait to see all of the amazing Everyday Eco-Habits you adopt this summer that can be incorporated into the rest of 2025 and beyond! If I missed any, please let me know - I’m always looking for new everyday eco-habits to adopt :)
You can do this! And don’t forget to share a post on how you’re living more sustainably this summer on my Instagram or Facebook and tag me in your post @kim_ecohabits.