The season is already in full swing in Ibiza, and with around three million visitors arriving each year - mostly between May and October - the island’s popularity brings a clear environmental impact despite its vital role in the local economy.
For World Environment Day this 5th June, IbizaPreservation shares 10 tips to help visitors reduce their impact on the island
- Save water
Conserve this precious resource by taking short showers and turning off the tap while washing up or brushing your teeth. Reduce unnecessary laundry by hanging towels out to dry and reusing them. You can read up on more of Ibiza's water situation by visiting our water holiday tips article. - Use less energy
Switch off lights and air conditioning whenever you leave your accommodation. - Cut plastic
Bring a refillable water bottle from home and fill it from filtered water sources, where available. If you buy bottled water, choose the largest size and decant it into smaller, reusable bottles to cut down on plastic waste. - Shop smart
Pack a couple of reusable bags for your grocery shopping and choose loose fruit and vegetables instead of packaged ones. - Recycle properly
There is no door-to-door waste collection service in Ibiza, so always separate your rubbish and deposit it in the correct colour-coded recycling containers on the street: yellow for plastic packaging, tins & cans; blue for paper & card; green for glass bottles; brown for food waste; and grey for everything else. - Smoke responsibly
Smokers, please don’t discard cigarette butts on the ground, out of car windows, or in the sand at the beach. They can take up to 10 years to degrade and release harmful toxins into the environment. Vapers should choose refillable devices over disposables. If you use single-use vapes, dispose of them properly. They are a fire risk due to their lithium-ion batteries and should only be placed in designated vape recycling stations, never in regular bins. Read more on this issue here. - Prevent fires
Be mindful of fire risks more generally. Always extinguish cigarettes completely and dispose of them safely. Never set fires or light barbecues within 500 metres of forested areas. If you spot a fire, call 112 immediately and provide detailed location information. - Protect our Posidonia
Use chemical-free/reef-safe sunscreen to help safeguard our marine environment, especially Posidonia oceanica, a vital seagrass that absorbs 15 times more CO2 than the Amazon rainforest and keeps our waters crystal clear. - Use public transport
Ibiza offers a regular bus network around the island that can move you from towns, beaches and clubs with ease. Making this choice or using shared transport helps reduce traffic and emissions on the island. - Reduce food waste
Make eco-friendly food choices. Only buy what you need; food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Buy local whenever possible to support our farmers and reduce food miles, further cutting emissions. Where possible, support Ibiza’s farmers by visiting markets and farm shops and discovering some of the delicious local produce on offer. More info via ibizaproduce.org.
If we want the island to continue to flourish and welcome future generations, it’s essential that we move towards a more sustainable model. By taking personal responsibility and following these few simple steps, we can all be part of the change.
If you found this article interesting, view all the articles by IbizaPreservation in our guide.
You can find out more about IbizaPreservation and donate towards their work by going to their website: ibizapreservation.org. You can also follow them on Instagram, Facebook and X.
Check out Ibiza Spotlight's recommended eco-friendly businesses whilst you are here and help to support a greener, cleaner Ibiza and Formentera.
