Are you going on holiday soon? You often have to consider taking out travel insurance. That’s how an accident happened. One of the most common reasons for taking out travel insurance is to get help in an emergency. But even if you have to quarantine due to COVID, for example, the costs can be high.

In this blog you can read the answers to all your most important questions about travel insurance. We look at: what is travel insurance? What does travel insurance cover? Is travel insurance mandatory? And finally: when do you need travel insurance?

Carefree on the road: everything about travel insurance

What is travel insurance?

In 2020, a total of 28.7 million Dutch people went on holiday . For many people, taking out travel insurance is a logical step. When you take out travel insurance, you leave well insured and without any worries. There are two different travel insurance policies: short-term and continuous insurance.

The short-term insurance

If you do not go on holiday more than once or twice a year, the best choice is short-term travel insurance. For example, are you going on holiday for 5 days? Then you take out short-term travel insurance for 5 days. When you return after 5 days, your travel insurance will stop. You only have to pay the premium once.

The continuous insurance

Do you go on holiday more than twice a year? Then we advise you to take out a continuous travel insurance. You are then insured worldwide throughout the year. You do not have to take out travel insurance separately each time. Please note, because your continuous travel insurance is automatically extended.

What does travel insurance cover?

You have taken out travel insurance or are thinking about doing so. But what does such insurance actually cover?

When you take out travel insurance with standard or basic cover, you receive emergency assistance while travelling. For example, search and rescue, transport by ambulance to the hospital or other necessary medical care. If you have to go home early – also known as repatriation – you will also be reimbursed with the basic cover.

It is also possible to take out additional cover. The choice for additional coverage depends on your personal preference, other insurance policies you may have already taken out and the type of trip you plan to make. It is advisable to always call the emergency center of the travel insurer in case of (emergency) situations. This way you avoid high costs and disappointments if the costs are not reimbursed.

Is travel insurance mandatory?

Taking out travel insurance is not mandatory , but it is certainly not superfluous. The main reason is the help with any emergencies on vacation. Unforeseen situations often cost not only a lot of time, but also a lot of money. Do you need a rescue helicopter to the nearest hospital? This quickly adds up to thousands of euros! But also situations where you are not in immediate emergency, can lead to unpleasant situations if you have not taken out travel insurance. Don’t want to worry about anything on the road? Then simply take out travel insurance for a carefree sustainable holiday !

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Cool off, exercise and move like a fish in the water. The popularity of the surfing industry in the Netherlands and the rest of the world is still increasing considerably. Learning to surf in the Netherlands is especially popular in the summer. There is something magical about surfing and sometimes it even looks like you can float through the water. Yet surfing is one of the most difficult water sports to learn.

Do you want to learn to surf? The most important thing when you want to surf is that you master the technique and have control over your surfboard. We recommend that you take a number of surf lessons to master the basics. Tips and directions are very useful when you want to learn to surf and ensure that you can get up a lot faster. In this blog you will read the four most important rules that you should use when you want to learn to surf. You’ll be on that shelf in no time!

Learning to surf in the Netherlands: 4 important rules for beginners

1. Basic safety rule

The most important rule when learning to surf in the Netherlands is that only one surfer is allowed to take a wave. This basic rule is important to avoid collisions with others and the resulting injuries. The surfer who is first on the wave has the right of way. Is the surfer not on the wave yet? Then the one who surfs the most on the inside gets priority. How do you know who surfs the inside the most? This is the one that surfs closest to the foam head.

2. Don’t hinder other surfers

The second important rule when you want to learn to surf is that you must not hinder other surfers. Derived from the basic rule that only one surfer is allowed to take a wave, it is important to avoid the surfer sitting on a wave. Why you should avoid the surfer? If you don’t, there is a chance that he or she will have to try to avoid you and accidents could occur. So quickly paddle in a different direction and point your surfboard towards the horizon to avoid being swept up by the wave.

3. Don’t surf where people are swimming

This rule seems pretty obvious, but it still often goes wrong. Every summer, clashes between surfers and swimmers are a reality. An important rule when learning to surf in the Netherlands is that you are not allowed to surf where people are swimming. For the safety of both swimmers and surfers, it is forbidden to surf within a so-called swimming zone. Are you doing this? Then you can receive a fine. In Scheveningen, the municipality is considering introducing zones for swimmers, surfers and water sports enthusiasts .

4. Don’t go against the flow

Finally, when you want to learn to surf, it is important not to fight against the current. Besides that this is a waste of your energy, it is also dangerous. Do you feel that the current wants to pull you along? Then you have probably ended up in a mule. This is a deep stretch of sea where there is a strong current that drags you into the sea. So let yourself be carried away by this current. Then paddle or swim to the left or right and move towards the coast via the sandbanks. It is important that you do not get on the surfboard too tired. This can be dangerous! Before you go into the sea, also check where the ripples are. You can recognize a ripple by the lack of crashing waves. So struggle through the white foam to avoid the strong currents!

Now that you know the basic rules in the water, it’s time to start taking lessons and learning to surf. And where better to learn to surf than at a sustainable surf school on the Dutch coast? After your lesson, have lunch in the accompanying surf cafe and discover the tastiest organic snacks and meals!

Do you want to learn surfing in the Netherlands? Book your first surf lesson right away !

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The last week of 2021 is just around the corner. New Year’s resolutions are often made during the New Year. The making of New Year’s resolutions goes back about 4000 years. In Babylonia, the inhabitants made promises to the gods to return the things they had borrowed. Nowadays you see that good intentions are increasingly about achieving personal goals, financial goals or sustainability goals. But how are you going to make these good intentions come true?

A list with all kinds of good intentions for 2022 is made in no time. In this blog we give you inspiration for sustainable good intentions for 2022 and we look at how we realize these good intentions!

New Year’s resolutions for 2022: living more sustainably

Sustainability is a development that meets the needs of the current generation, without compromising those of the future generation. In simple terms, this means minimizing the impact on the environment. You can think of economic, social and environmental needs. An example of sustainable consumption is, for example, sustainable travel , separating waste and saving energy.

Why is this sustainable development important?

Sustainability therefore ensures that the environment is burdened as little as possible. This development is so important as it protects our natural environment and ecological and human health. Sustainability also stimulates innovation by looking at problems from a new perspective. In this way, the environment is endangered as little as possible and the earth can last longer.

Inspiration 2022: making your sustainable good intentions come true

Are you looking for inspiration for your New Year’s resolutions for 2022 to contribute to a sustainable life? Read here which New Year’s resolutions you can easily achieve in the new year!

1. Hand in obsolete electrical appliances

One of these easily applicable New Year’s resolutions for 2022 is to hand in electrical appliances that you no longer use. For example, think of your old telephone or batteries. Toss these in a small appliance container that you can find at the grocery store. You can also dispose of electrical appliances in bulky waste. Why this 2022 good intention contributes to sustainability? Electronics contain raw materials that can be reused! Handing in batteries also ensures that the harmful substances contained in them do not end up in nature.

2. Opt for one or more meatless days

Meat production is responsible for about 40% of the greenhouse gases released by the average Dutch person when producing food. Eating less meat is therefore good for the environment. Making these good intentions come true is now very easy thanks to the many meat substitutes in the supermarkets!

3. Don’t ask for and/or give birthday gifts

Buying stuff has a negative impact on the environment. Every product needs raw materials. The production of raw materials is often accompanied by negative effects on the environment, for example pollution. Instead, go do an activity together, buy items from the thrift store or look for a circular product!

4. Extend the life of your clothes

For the production of textiles, for example, a lot of water is needed. The production plus the transport of clothing, annually produces approximately 320 kg of CO2 emissions per person in the Netherlands. When you extend the life of your clothing, less needs to be produced. Visit a second-hand clothing store, sell your clothing on a second-hand platform such as Marktplaats and Vinted, or give your clothing away to family, acquaintances or friends!

Do you have any more tips for making good intentions come true? Share them with us via Instagram or Facebook !

The post Realizing sustainable good intentions in 2022 | How? appeared first on Sustainaway.

In the Netherlands we have 5 different airports. These are Schiphol Airport, Eindhoven Airport, Groningen-Eelde Airport, Maastricht Aachen Airport and Rotterdam – The Hague airport. Schiphol is one of the busiest airports in the EU and continues to grow. No less than 88% of air traffic in the Netherlands takes place at Schiphol.

It is known that flying is one of the most environmentally harmful modes of transport. Do you want to know why flying is so bad for the environment? In this blog you can read about the impact air traffic has on the environment, how thinking differently and COVID-19 are related and how you can minimize your impact as much as possible if you decide to fly anyway.

How polluting is aviation?

Aviation has a huge impact on the environment. To achieve the climate goals, it is important to travel without flying. Aviation is the most climate-intensive mode of transport. Seven percent of the total Dutch climate impact is caused by aviation . Due to the growth in the number of flights, this percentage will only increase.

Due to its central location, Schiphol is a transfer port between Europe and the rest of the world. There is often landing and take off here. As a result, there is an extra large amount of CO2 and particulate matter emissions above the Netherlands. Particulate matter are the soot particles that we inhale without noticing. These soot particles damage the lungs and can even cause asthma.

The ultra-fine particles are even more dangerous to other internal parts of humans. These ultrafine particles reach the bloodstream via the lungs. Here they can cause serious diseases such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, (lung) cancer and brain damage. Traveling without flying ensures that particulate matter emissions and ultra-fine particles do not end up in the air.

Travel without flying, behavioral change and COVID-19

The Netherlands wants to be climate neutral by 2050. If we look at the current aviation policy, this is impossible. Every day, around 950 flights still take off from Schiphol Airport. Traveling without flying is one of the most important behavioral changes to tackle the climate problem. We have to do things differently. Traveling in a different way, working in a different way and on holiday in a different way.

COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill everywhere. We were forced to think differently. As a result, the use of fossil fuels decreased in the first months and with it CO2 emissions. Figures showed that in these months energy consumption and CO2 emissions from the transport sector fell dramatically as a result of the general advice to work from home.

Still flying?

If you do decide not to travel without flying, here are some tips to reduce the environmental impact of flying:

• Opt for a direct flight whenever possible . More CO2 is released during ascent and descent. So book a flight without stopovers. This reduces the environmental impact and noise pollution.

• Focus on the purpose of your holiday . Would you like a sun holiday? Then choose, for example, the Canary Islands instead of Thailand. If you choose to go to the Canary Islands with 4 people, you will emit 7,500 kg less CO2 than the trip to Thailand.

• It is preferable not to travel by car but take public transport to the airport . This way you not only emit less CO2, but you also save a lot of parking money!

• Offset your CO2 emissions . How this works There are organizations that arrange climate compensation for you. These organizations serve as a kind of middlemen. They ensure that your money ends up with organizations that plant forests, protect important natural areas or lead renewable energy projects.

Do you also travel sustainably ? Then opt for a journey by train or book a sustainable holiday right away!

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On December 25 and 26 it’s that time again: Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Traditionally, this has been an important mid-winter celebration, and although Christmas may have looked a little different for most people last year, it’s still a good time to enjoy the most beautiful lights, the scent of pine trees with family and friends. and all the good food.

Are you looking for nice gifts to surprise family and friends again this year? In this blog you will find our top 6 gifts for a sustainable Christmas!

The top 6 sustainable Christmas must-haves!

Sustainable cardboard Christmas tree

Do you have an allergy to the pines of a Christmas tree or do you want to try something different to get the Christmas atmosphere into your home than a pine tree?

Then try an allergy-free sustainable Christmas tree made of cardboard. For a festive table or for the desk, you can decorate the cardboard Christmas tree with a garland or a light cord.

If you choose one of the three large sizes of the cardboard tree, you will receive 12 Christmas baubles. A nice tip if you have children: paint the cardboard tree in your favorite color.

Plastic-free, Vegan & Animal-free brushing with the Toothpaste Tablets from Choose!

Brushing your teeth, very handy when you visit your in-laws… Fortunately, this gift is also important after the holidays. Surprise a (vegan) friend during Christmas with a handy and sustainable gift!

This innovative toothpaste tablet set consists of a sustainable bamboo toothbrush, a bamboo travel case so that you can easily take your toothbrush with you, a bamboo refill jar to store your tablets and 90 toothpaste tablets!

Toothpaste tablets what are they exactly? Normally everyone uses toothpaste from a plastic tube. Besides that the plastic is bad for the environment, the tube also causes waste of toothpaste. Between 5 and 20 percent of toothpaste remains in a plastic tube. The vegan tooth brush set from Choose offers a solution to this problem. You can chew the toothpaste tablets. In addition, you can choose to put a tablet in your mouth and then brush “normally” with a (wet) toothbrush. That way you don’t waste plastic and toothpaste! And not to forget: the set is indispensable during sustainable travel !

Circular Chefs

Eating, eating and eating some more: that’s what Christmas is all about. Cozy dining that should of course be possible, but how do you do this in a responsible way? The book Circular Chefs answers that question. In addition to delicious recipes, this book also teaches you the five basic principles that help you with sustainable cooking every day. A nice gift for a sustainable Christmas!

The great thing about this book is that it also answers the question: why should people eat more sustainably? This also makes it a suitable gift for family or friends who do not yet have much knowledge about sustainability. The book has been published in Dutch and English.

Instock cooking

Another good book on more sustainable food is Instock cooking. The book contains all kinds of tips from chefs who try to help you waste less! It is taught how to improve the use of food through various methods such as freezing, drying and smoking. Wasting less food is a good step to combat climate change.

Did you know that an average Dutch person throws about 34 kilos of food in the trash every year? Yes, 34 pounds! Do you also know someone who throws away a lot of food? Maybe this sustainable Christmas gift is perfect for him or her!

ToshiFarm Brood for Pink Oyster Mushrooms

Do you also want to grow such cool pink oyster mushrooms? With the grow kit from ToshiFarm this is possible! The handy thing about the grow kit is that you don’t need other supplies such as lamps or a greenhouse.

Do you know a fanatic or novice grower? Then this sustainable Christmas gift is perfect! But it is also a nice gift for someone without experience! After the oyster mushroom has grown, it can be eaten. It is also easy to prepare, fry briefly in oil and then enjoy it as a meat substitute.

Floz nativity scene metal and stone

Do you want to complete your sustainable Christmas? This Floz nativity scene is very special and cannot be missed on the list of the top 4 sustainable Christmas must-haves. The palm trees are made of metal and give an intimate atmosphere due to the shadow effect. Light a candle or light a light next to the nativity scene for an even more intimate atmosphere.

The material is fixed with pins and are located on a base plate, handy and sturdy! The complete Nativity Scene from Floz is made under fair trade conditions in Zimbabwe.

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During the holiday period, many Dutch people exchange their home for a holiday address for a few days or weeks. Are you going on vacation? It is important to leave your house safe during your holiday. In this blog we give you a number of tips to arrange this as well as possible with a few simple actions.

Checklist: leave your home safe during vacation

1. Turn off devices

Before you travel, turn off all devices, including those that you normally leave on standby, such as your TV or laptop. If you leave plugs in the socket, this ensures that there is still so-called standby consumption. With standby consumption, the power leaks from your socket, as it were. So always pull the plugs out of the socket. This way you prevent unexpectedly high costs and the waste of electricity.

Also don’t forget the WIFI modem. This is because it consumes the same amount of electricity, regardless of use. Don’t have an induction plate yet and do you cook on gas? Turn off the gas tap for safety.

2. Fridge and freezer

Two large consumers are located in the kitchen: the refrigerator and the freezer. Before you go on holiday, empty the fridge and freezer and defrost the freezer regularly. It is recommended that you do this at least once a year, even if you don’t happen to be going on holiday. An ice layer in the freezer ensures that you have less storage space. In addition, defrosting also saves energy. Did you know that with two millimeters of ice on the inside, ten percent more energy is used ?

Are you going on holiday for a short period of time? Then put the refrigerator in holiday mode. This position can be found near the on/off switch. Are you going on holiday for a longer period of time? Then it is better to turn off the refrigerator completely and pull the plug. Clean the appliances and leave the door slightly open. This way you prevent mold and your fridge can’t use energy when you’re away.

3. Bulbs

Turning off lights seems simple, but is often forgotten. It is of course advisable to leave a number of lights on, possibly with a timer. This is especially important in dark places around and inside the home. This makes it less attractive for burglars to enter. Use an energy-saving or LED lamp to save as much energy as possible.

4. Heating

Heating the house when you are on vacation is not necessary. Are you going on holiday in the winter? Then it is best to set the heating as low as possible. When the heating is completely switched off in the winter months, it can happen that the pipes freeze to pieces.

When the broken pipes thaw, the water starts flowing again. This can cause water damage. Do you not have running water when you return from vacation? Always check with the neighbors whether they also have no water. When they do have water, you know your pipes are frozen. The best thing you can do is contact a plumber.

Safe from home, rest assured on the road!

There is nothing better than going to your holiday destination with peace of mind. Getting a message from the neighbors that there has been a break-in would be very annoying. Leaving your house safe during your holiday is therefore important to be able to enjoy your holiday address to the fullest. Prevention is better than cure.

Inform your neighbors or roommates how long you will be away. In this way they can keep an eye on things, keep track of the post if necessary and call the police in case of suspicious situations. This way you can safely leave your house during your (sustainable) holiday .

6 extra tips for a burglary-free holiday

Tip 1: Check everything in and around your house whether your windows are closed and your doors are locked.

Tip 2: Do not close your window curtains. That way, burglars won’t notice that you’re not at home.

Tip 3: Ask someone to do your mail. For example, there is no pile of mail by the door, making it less noticeable to the burglars that you are not at home.

Tip 4: Pass on your holiday address to someone you know so that you can quickly contact each other in the event of an emergency.

Tip 5: Opportunity makes the thief. Therefore, do not put your valuables such as your tablet, laptop and jewelry out of sight.

Tip 6: Don’t post on social media about your vacation. Do you want to post something about your holiday? Change your settings from public to friends only or post your photos later when you get back home.

The post Leaving your home safe during vacation | Checklist appeared first on Sustainaway.

At the end of the fifteenth century, the city of Leiden was the largest in the county of Holland. This was mainly due to the international cloth industry. In the sixteenth century came a time of reforms and persecutions. In 1572 Leiden joined the Dutch Revolt. The beautiful city was besieged by the Spaniards twice.

124,077 people currently live in the Key City, Leiden. The Key City is known for, among other things, the old city center with canals, courtyards and monumental buildings. In addition, Leiden is a real student city with 4 colleges and 1 university.

In this blog you can read our top 5 of the best hotspots in Leiden, including the vegan hotspots of Leiden!

5x The best hotspot Leiden

I Scream Coffee

You can find I Scream Coffee at Haarlemmerstraat at number 181. At this specialty coffee bar you can not only enjoy excellent coffee, but also a varied selection of the tastiest vegan pastries. The living room vibes ensure that you immediately feel at ease.

In addition to the fine coffee, you will also find nice goodies from small entrepreneurs. Shop for ocean-inspired artwork or handmade jewelry, for example. The cozy coffee bar is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm, only on Sundays this coffee spot closes half an hour earlier.

Lot & the Whale

Lot & de Walvis should not be missing from the list of the 5 nicest hotspots in Leiden. You will find the restaurant at Haven 1. This spot is open Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 1 am, Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 2 am and Sunday from 10 am to 1 am o’clock at night.

You can go to Lot & de Walvis for breakfast, lunch, drinks and dinner. How about a vegan bounty pie with your cup of coffee? The menu also includes a veggie platter, vegan curry and the crispy taco. The kids are also thought of. For example, there are smaller – and more well-known dishes. So something for everyone!

Restaurant Logica

Restaurant Logica focuses on creating the tastiest vegetarian dishes with organic ingredients. Their motto: (H)honest vega(n) eating out in the region! It is not for nothing that this restaurant is on our list of the best hotspots in Leiden. The menu includes a vegan grilled cheese sandwich with minced seitan, vegan cheese and chili sauce, seitan doner kebab and vegetable tandoori.

Logica has the Green Key label: the largest sustainability label for the tourism industry in the Netherlands. So you know for sure that you are in the right place for honest food! You will find restaurant Logica aan de Still Rijn at number 11: eating with a view of the water! You can go there from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Catootje at the market

Catootje aan de Markt is a favorite from our top 5 hotspots in Leiden. The special thing about Catootje is the focus on ‘Shared Dining’ or eating together. So on the menu are all kinds of small dishes that you can share with each other. The restaurant has a new vegan menu in its dinner box every week, containing unique dishes such as miso soup with shiitake, spring onions and puffed wild rice as an intermediate dish and roasted cauliflower with celeriac cream, hasselback potato, trompettes de la mort, and green asparagus with fresh truffle sauce.

Want to try these surprising vegan dishes yourself? You can find this hotspot at Kaasmarkt 10. The opening hours are from Wednesday to Saturday from 5.30 pm to 10 pm.

Slaughterhouse

The Slaughterhouse: not really the name you would expect at a vegan hotspot in Leiden.. But this lunchroom slash bakery is completely vegan! Here you will find snacks, cakes and even ingredients for the ultimate summer (or if you can handle the cold: winter) picnic. Do you want to enjoy the tastiest vegan cakes even longer? Then you can also go to the slaughterhouse for workshops so that you can make your own birthday cake from now on! Not a fan of sweet? Then choose one of the hearty dishes such as a crustico rendang, sauerkraut sausage or jackfruit cubanos.

The slaughterhouse is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m. You will find the lunchroom at number 1 Meelfabriekplein.

Discovered a new hotspot Leiden during your weekend or holiday in South Holland ? Tag us on instagram and maybe we’ll highlight your hotspot soon!

The post 5x The best hotspot Leiden | Which places should you not miss? appeared first on Sustainaway.

Glühwein – literally glowing wine – is an alcoholic drink that is mainly drunk in the period just before Christmas. The recipe for making mulled wine is based on the customs of centuries ago. For example, the Romans already added herbs to their wine.

Today, no Christmas market, ice rink or winter sports location can do without mulled wine. The sweet and spicy scent of this alcoholic beverage instantly evokes memories of Christmas Eve and cold, white winters. Do you want to make mulled wine yourself? In this blog you can read how to make the best mulled wine to get through the winter days warm!

History of mulled wine

The history of mulled wine goes back centuries. As we know the alcoholic snack, it originated in the Middle Ages. In Germany, a recipe was developed based on a mixture of wine, herbs and fruit. For years, drinking mulled wine has been considered a tradition on the German Christmas market. Do you want to make your own mulled wine? Then read on for the recipe!

Ingredients

The ingredients you need for about 8 glasses:

• half lemon
• 2 oranges
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cloves
• 3 cardamom grains
• 2 pieces star anise
• 2 liters of smooth red wine (You can’t taste the difference between expensive or cheap wine, because you make the mulled wine with all kinds of spices)
• 3 tablespoons sugar or sweetener

Make your own mulled wine: how?

This recipe is a traditional mulled wine recipe. The advantage of making mulled wine yourself is that you can add ingredients to your own taste. Would you like a splash of cognac? Add extra citrus fruits? You can vary endlessly.

Step 1 : Take a large pan into which you empty the red wine. Place this pan on a very low heat. The wine is not supposed to boil, as the alcohol will then evaporate.

Step 2 : Cut the lemon and one orange into thin slices. Add these slices, the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise and cardamom to the pan of warm wine.

Step 3 : The zest of the other orange can be used to peel curls. Making these curls is easiest with a vegetable peeler. Add half of the curls to the pan. The other half can be used to garnish the glass.

Step 4 : Do you have any orange left? Squeeze the juice into the pan and add sugar or sweetener to taste.

Step 5 : Leave the pan with wine and ingredients on a low heat for about 30 to 40 minutes. Again it is important that the mulled wine does not boil, so that the alcohol is not evaporated.

Don’t like bits in your mulled wine? Making your own mulled wine has a big advantage: you can present it according to your own wishes. Optionally, you can choose to remove all pieces from the mulled wine with a sieve. Finish the mulled wine with orange curls!

Is your homemade mulled wine not quite finished? It is best to keep these in the fridge. The mulled wine will keep for about as long as the normal red wine after it has been opened. We recommend that you keep it in the fridge for a maximum of 3 days.

Don’t feel like making your own mulled wine? Go out with an electric camper during the Christmas holidays and visit the German Christmas markets for the real Christmas feeling!

The post Make your own mulled wine | The tastiest traditional recipe! appeared first on Sustainaway.

Have you chosen to take your backpack with you on holiday? Much more important than the design of the backpack or the price, is the wearing comfort. A frequently given tip when packing your backpack is to ensure the correct weight distribution. This makes it feel less heavy and good packing prevents injuries. If you are going backpacking, it is useful to make a packing list first. Write down what you expect to need. This makes strategically packing your backpack easier.

In this blog you can read how you can best pack your backpack by giving you the top 7 backpack packing tips.

Packing tips backpack

Store small items in the lid compartment

One of the backpack packing tips that we want to give you is storing small items in the lid compartment. These items can be stored safely and are also easy to grab quickly. You usually do things here that you expect to need along the way. Think of muesli bars, a GPS device, raincoat, sunscreen or a first aid kit. When packing your backpack, try to avoid heavy objects in your lid compartment: otherwise the center of gravity of your backpack will be too high.

Divide large and heavy items in the main compartment

An important backpack packing tip is also to strategically fill the main compartment. Put the heaviest items closest to your back. As a result, your hips carry the most weight and the spine is not so heavily loaded. Most of the injuries you incur with a backpack is an injury in your back . You can store the light and soft stuff around the heaviest ‘core’. Using this method will prevent your backpack from pulling on your shoulders.

Put the things you don’t need quickly at the bottom

You don’t often need a sleeping bag and spare clothes during the day. It is best to put things that you do not need quickly at the bottom. One of the backpack packing tips is to put all light items in the bottom compartment.

Distribute the side pockets evenly

If your backpack has side pockets, it is useful when packing, for example, to store your sunglasses, map or compass. Just like with the lid compartment, you can easily reach it. It is important to pay attention to an even distribution. Otherwise you will lose your balance, which will eventually lead to injuries.

More packing tips backpacking

• Give things their own place. Forgetting where your things are is inconvenient and can cause frustration along the way.
• Roll up clothes. This takes up the least space. For example, use sustainable packing cubes. Keep clothes you need during the day separate from the rest of your clothes.
• Prevent, for example, shampoo from getting on your clothes. So put your belongings in waterproof bags. Even more convenient is to use different colors of these waterproof bags. This makes it even easier to know where you have stored your belongings.

Discover the most beautiful destinations, pack your backpack and book your sustainable holiday right away!

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Are you going on holiday and do you want to eat sustainably while traveling? You are no longer in your own kitchen, you don’t have your own stuff around you -besides what’s in your suitcase or backpack- and you don’t know the local restaurants and shops. More and more restaurants, shops and hotels are adopting sustainable principles.

In this blog you can read about the rules of thumb for sustainable food and you will receive tips about sustainable food while traveling.

Tips for sustainable food while traveling

Rules of thumb for sustainable eating

The production and consumption of food accounts for 20 to 35% of the environmental burden and of the emission of greenhouse gases. You do sustainable food by not eating and buying more than you need. In addition, you can choose to replace environmentally harmful animal protein-rich products such as meat and cheese with less harmful products such as legumes.

Sustainable food while traveling has the same rules of thumb. You can search for restaurants that apply the principles of sustainable eating: plant-based food, less waste, local and seasonal products, organic food and purchasing packaging-free goods.

Restaurant quality marks when you want to eat sustainably while traveling

Restaurants receive a quality mark when they are concerned with sustainability. When you are looking for a sustainable restaurant, you can look at the presence of these sustainable labels. So you have the Green Key Restaurants. A restaurant receives this quality mark when they make conscious choices in the field of sustainability both indoors and outdoors. You see more and more organic seasonal products on the menu. Economical use of energy, water and the separation of waste are also taken into account with this quality mark. When you are looking for a restaurant for sustainable food while traveling, you can check whether the restaurant is registered as a member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association . This organization helps restaurants become more sustainable on all kinds of fronts. When you visit the website, you get an overview of all participating restaurants.

How do you find sustainable restaurants and shops when you travel?

The first tip for sustainable food when traveling is to travel well prepared. For example, ask at your accommodation about restaurants that are sustainable, organic or vegetarian. Or ask for a shop where you can buy local products. Search engines such as Google and Ecosia also make it possible to find out whether there are suitable sustainable restaurants. The second tip for sustainable food when traveling is to avoid all-in or all-you-can-eat formulas. All-inclusive leads to overconsumption and waste. How many times have you bragged too much at an all-you-can-eat restaurant? This tip applies to both restaurants and hotels. The last tip for sustainable food when traveling is to visit local shops and eateries. For example, go to atmospheric markets instead of the supermarket or visit a local farmer. How do you know about local eateries? For example, ask local residents or do online research.

Sustainable travel is very easy with these tips! Book a sustainable accommodation directly to make your stay even greener.

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