With more of us striving towards an environmentally friendly lifestyle, a question for many Buslifers is… How sustainable is my VW Bus? Now, driving across the globe is going to hurt our planet. However, in comparison to living a luxurious lifestyle in an average home, your chance of achieving a smaller carbon footprint is easily within reach. It’s time to live a sustainable Buslife!
Here are just a few ways you can work towards enjoying the Buslifer dream, while living sustainably, on the road. Do worry, you can live a sustainable Buslife and still have all the same great adventures too!
Choose sustainable materials
If you’re taking the plunge and doing some DIY to your VW Bus, be sure to consider the materials you use. If it’s wood you’re after, visit a salvage yard and for soft furnishings, see what you can pick up second hand. By repurposing where possible, you’re helping to keep items out of the landfill. It’s also a thrifty way to give your VW Bus a quirky look. For more renovation tips and tricks, click here.
Go solar
Looking to go off-grid in your VW Bus? You’re going to want to get some solar panels fitted. There are plenty of options out there to suit your requirements. Choose from installing panels on the roof to portable, fold-out panels. Solar panels will allow you to power personal electronics. But for power-hungry appliances such as fridges, it’s worth connecting to a power bank that will act as a generator or adding a leisure battery, which will store the energy from the solar panels. In addition to the leisure battery, you will need an inverter to plug in the fridge. There is an initial investment to consider when switching to solar power. However, it’s cost-effective in the long run with the added benefit of avoiding non-renewable energy.
Save water
Without the luxury of running water, being cautious about over-consumption is something that’s on the mind of all VW Bus owners. However, saving water is easier said than done, and it’s worth taking some time to devise a water-saving system. It could be as simple as having a bottle to save any remaining water when you do the dishes. Or go one step further and install a manual water pump.
Being mindful about water consumption is incredibly important when you’re on the road, but so is staying clean and healthy. If you’re new to Buslife, read our advice for staying hygienic while on the road.
Live the slow life
As we mentioned, the most significant element that is going to let a VW Bus owner down when it comes to sustainability is fuel consumption. Get used to living life in the slow lane to save fuel and plan your route to avoid any long detours. Also, rather than traveling far and wide, sit back and enjoy the view for just that bit longer. For happy and positive well-being, it’s all about slow living.
If you find yourself staying an extra night somewhere, check out our article on how to find an overnight parking spot.
Be a conscious consumer
Although it’s great to try and buy less, there are times when we need to get our wallets out. Price is an essential element when making any purchase. However, instead of prioritizing the best deals, be a conscious consumer and consider the longevity of a product, the materials used, and a brand’s ethics. For a little extra help when it comes to shopping ethically, check out the rankings of some of the world’s leading brands via The Good Shopping Guide.
Leave no trace
Leaving no trace is a crucial Buslife motto. Remember to dispose of waste correctly and leave areas free of rubbish. Respect wildlife and leave any artifacts that you find for others to enjoy too. Visit the Center for Outdoor Ethics for more information on protecting our natural environments.
By following these simple rules, you and your beloved VW Bus are well on your way to becoming eco-warriors.
If you’d like to do even more to help our planet in your quest to live a sustainable Buslife, you could also consider offsetting your carbon footprint for every tonne of CO2 you emit while driving. Other lifestyle changes include shopping locally (which most of us do anyway while living on the road) and reducing the number of animal products you consume by making the switch to a vegetarian/vegan diet.
Are you ready for a sustainable Buslife?
Yes, you are! We all are and being sustainable isn’t about being perfect, but taking the steps we can with the tools we have. Do you have any other sustainability tips for Buslife you would include here? Let us know in the comments.
Author: Lorna Mann
Passionate about nature and outdoors. Lorna is a contributor to the Buslifer community, writing on topics, including sustainability and ethical living.
