Summertime is when the warmest, and sometimes hottest, weather settles in and folks in temperate climates like to be outdoors and actively participating in nature. From golfing to go-carts, swimming to speedboating, people tend to get outdoors in the summer. Though there are oodles of activities that can be done during the summer months, environmentally-friendly activities are beginning to catch fire as fun, wholesome and respectful ways to honor nature even as you play in it. There are scores of environmentally-friendly activities to do in the summertime.

1. Go for a Picnic

It's a classic experience. Before you check out Blue Haven Pools Montgomery, you might consider going down to the local park or some other serene place to have a picnic. This is truly an ageless activity. It could become a fun tradition of sorts, with time spent with loved ones planning a menu and packing the proverbial picnic basket. If you want to be daring, try to establish an electronic-free picnic zone, where eating, talking and enjoying the sights and sounds of summer replace screen time. Bonding could transpire. 

2. Explore Your Local Trails

These days, many communities have invested in green space and as a result, there are trails all over the place that are established and maintained. Often, they are free. Whether you are a walker, jogger or runner, nature trails offer exercise with a view. Depending on the company, these sorts of activities can be romantic, relaxing, more oriented toward learning, or just, plain fun. Either way, there are scores of trails out there that are ready to be celebrated.

3. Try Plogging

Plogging is a combination of jogging and helping to keep your community clean by picking up waste on your route. Ploggers simply carry some type of bag with them and collect whatever unnatural elements they pass. This speaks to community pride and offers joggers a sense of purpose, which sometimes is overwhelmed by the sheer volume of waste that you see along the streets on a given day.

4. Go Swimming at the Lake

It's a worldwide phenomenon that when the weather is nice, folks head for nature. Playing in or around water is popular and common. Take a drive, or even better, ride a bike to the local swimming hole. You can swim, sunbathe or sit on the beach reading or just lackadaisically experiencing the world as it happens around you.

5. Play a Round of Disc Golf

Perhaps the best thing about disc golf is how many courses weave their way through the woods. The same elements that make lining up your shots difficult ensure that you're surrounded by the beautiful sights and sounds of nature. There is no carbon footprint to walking around the forest, throwing a rubber disc into an elevated bucket. Rather, there is wind blowing through the leaves, birds and chipmunks chirping and sometimes the strange hum of the cicadas.

6. Go Zero Waste Camping

Folks are liable to pull into a campground in a house-sized RV, and that's okay. Environmentally-friendly camping, however, insists on an old-fashioned tent. In truth, all you need for a classic camping experience is a tent, sleeping bag, chair and some cooking supplies. It's amazing how time stretches out when you spend those long, lazy summer days at a campground. Traditionally, campers might spend their days swimming or hiking, reading or playing the guitar. Do you or any of your friends have an experience where you spent a rainy day quietly plowing through a book in your tent? That's living, environmentally-friendly style. 

Summertime should be for fun and relaxation. In an age where screen time is at a premium, unplugging and engaging in environmentally-friendly activities might just be a nice change of pace that's worth checking out. From helping your community by cleaning up the streets to simply enjoying time spent with your family picnicking, camping or hiking, there are so many ways to enjoy the season while simultaneously honoring the planet.