April is Earth Month, and appreciating nature at this time of year is a good way to make your heart sing. Maybe discover Britain’s national parks with a podcast I recorded for The Travel Diaries with Holly Rubenstein. If you’re looking for listening that will prompt you to think about the causes and symptoms of the climate emergency more deeply, try my six-part podcast series Funny Old World which tackles the heaviest topics head-on (but with a little humour).
Here are the eco-forward things I'm loving right now.
What I’m loving in London…
Springtime! It makes celebrating nature easy – especially if you visit Royal Botanic Gardens Kew just as the cherry trees by the Temperate House are in bloom, the bluebells are alive in the Natural Area Blossom behind the Palm House and plump magnolias on Princess Walk are begging to be snapped. Caring about biodiversity is part of the climate-solutions conversation. Embrace Mother Nature around the globe while reducing your carbon footprint at the BBC Earth Experience in Earl’s Court. Here, Sir David Attenborough narrates a multi-screen immersion which transports us to all seven continents in under an hour, letting us admire aurora borealis and get up close to the animals of Antarctica without leaving SW6 (£22 for children and £28.50 for adults).
Treehouse Hotel, London, the prime-perch hotel a short stroll from Regents Park, is giving us a reason to admire the capital thanks to unbeatable skyline views from the rooftop bar and terrace. Their Spring Blossoms package includes a £20 credit at The Nest – I recommend ordering an Ethical Pornstar, one of the eco-savvy cocktails created with Sapling Spirits.
As someone who once flew internationally for work most months, I am trying to switch my attentions to experiencing the world from my hometown – like through the Ethiopian Flavours Tour in Shepherds Bush Market with Intrepid Urban Adventures, in partnership with social enterprise Women in Travel. Hosted by former refugee Sefanit, the tour talks walkers through the traditions of her homeland, ending with an Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
Watching the 2022 film Aisha was a reminder of how much of a struggle it is for those fleeing conflict and danger at home in a hostile immigration system. And a powerful reminder of Londoners who must forever remain in our hearts comes in Steve McQueen’s haunting head-spinning look at Grenfell, which is screening at the Serpentine South Gallery until Wednesday 10 May. As Leah Thomas, aka @greengirlleah (author of The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet) puts it, “we should care about the protection of people as much as we care about the protection of our planet – to me, these fights are the same."
Where I’m travelling…
Having devoured the surprisingly engaging Flying Green: On the Frontiers of New Aviation by Christopher de Bellaigue, I am feeling very conscious of the need to cut back on flying. In Europe, we’re lucky the trains can be such a joy. I planned a multi-stop work trip through Italy, Germany, and Switzerland that flowed smoothly thanks to an Interrail Pass and booking with Byway. The flight-shame guilt is real, and appreciating what a privilege it is to travel should always be at the front of our minds on far-flung forays. I'm visiting an ancient rainforest staying at The Datai in Langkawi in Malaysia where – thanks to being in residence to visit all of the social initiatives and environmental projects attached to The Datai Pledge, from crafts projects that give single mothers employment to following permaculture practises – I’m making sure this long-haul trip has a positive legacy.
What I’m packing…
Always in my pocket are my Urbanears Boo Wireless Headphones made from 91 per cent recycled plastic (£69.99, available in five colours). I’ll ever be grateful to Brodie for explaining to me the importance of a vertical supply chain, especially when it comes to cashmere – my super-comforting wrap is perfect when on the move. It's also great to hear that Leicestershire sockmaker Pantherella, is upcycling cashmere for more eco-friendly creations (£26).
Subtle Energies is one of my favourite genuinely natural brands when it comes to blending Ayurveda and aromatherapy: the uplifting antibacterial hand sanitiser is a sweet-smelling blend of healing and purifying oils. I always have a refillable water bottle – S’wheat’s super-light version (£25) is even biodegradable at the end of its life. And the best skin brighteners that have worked wonders in lifting skin when on an intense schedule? REN’S Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic and Alpha-H’s Hyaluronic 8 Super Serum, £50, for an incredible air-brushed effect.
What I’m wearing…
As ever, the goal is to buy less, buy better. We should all be seeking secondhand steals from platforms such as Lampoo or charity shops. And when you know how much energy and water is involved in laundering, it’s good to try and wash and dry your heaviest items as little as possible. Plus clothes will last longer and shed fewer fibres. A spritz of Another Day byMATTER (£24), essentially a fancy Febreze, is a boon when you’re trying to be a little greener. When I spent time in the mountains in Switzerland, I was happy to have a Canada Goose fleece from their new mission-driven high-performance strong-design Human Nature range. Since this brand has been given a lot of grief around sustainability I was relieved to hear about its pledge to drop fur from its outdoor wear by the end of the year. We should all do the work to retrain ourselves not to crave new clothes and take big pleasure from littler delights. I love a spritz of Sana Jardin’s seriously special social-impact scents and a seasonal delivery of the smallest-batch Somerset-made Ffern fragrance. And as soon as it's out, I’ll be giving Davines new serum for stronger blonde hair Heart of Glass’s Instant Bonding Glow an eager go. When it comes to looking good, it’s amazing what a new Gen See Pick-Me-Up lipstick can achieve. Handle Recycling helps dispose of any used products. (Thanks for the tip, Joe at Shag! Salon in W2!) Keep the bag in your bathroom, and when it’s full, drop it at one of their partners such as SpaceNK.
What I’m eating and drinking…
As ever, I'm trying to keep my ‘foodprint’ down and follow a climate-friendly plant-heavy diet, focusing on all things organic. The restaurant EDIT in Hackney was a comforting reminder that vegan can still be exciting. Starting the day on the right note is helped by Daylesford Organic’s bircher mueslis and granolas and Organic Protein’s raw cacao and maca organic whey protein. Immune health is a priority when you travel a lot. I’m turning to Yorkshire-based Together Health’s vitamins, which are vegan and in plastic-free biodegradable packaging. Nutriburst takes it to the next level and delivers its goodness to you with the pledge that they’re committed to responsible packaging.
What I’m reading…
We need to do more to decarbonise – and fast. That was the gist of the latest UN climate report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change isn’t a light read — in short, it proposes robust solutions, justice and speed. But is enough of this lengthy research project resonating? If we’re to react to the latest findings, the Travel Foundation’s recent report Transforming Tourism: 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development is a helpful blueprint. They’ve imagined a more responsible future of travel and addressed some possible adaptations and how we might change our patterns to adapt to changes in climate. This would include CO2 being measured across every link in each trip’s supply chain and frequent flyers being taxed instead of incentivised with airport capacity capped. It also promotes fewer short hops, longer, slower holidays and vacations, with closer-to-home trips more appealing. Sound sensible?
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What I’m looking forward to…
Spending more time outside and maybe a little stretching in the park with my carbon-negative Evergreen mat from the British yoga brand Form (£65). My birthday in May is an excuse for fun with friends and family at the art-filled Durslade Farmhouse at Hauser and Wirth in Bruton, Somerset, when I’m looking forward to sparking a deeper connection with nature thanks to a guided walk with coach Hamish Mackay-Lewis. And this summer, I’ll try to get my kicks from what’s on my doorstep. I’d love to get to the new Bamford Wellness Spa on Daylesford farm and the much-awaited wellness destination, The Bothy at Heckfield Place. I’d love another whirl at Blyth Rise Stays in one of their green-energy-run self-catering cabins in Laxfield. Or an escape to Keythorpe Hall, a charming listed country house on the border of Rutland and Leicestershire – the challenge is you need to book it for up to 20 people. Who’s in?
Please share your sustainability tips with me on Instagram, @julietkinsman