Disposable Handwarmers

Disposable handwarmers are a recent but widely spread threat to ecological sustainability and, also, to social tolerance levels. Disposable does not mean that after its short-lasting use, the plastic handwarmer can be disposed at the spot by dropping it to the ground thinking that snow will cover it. Snow melts every spring summer and massive amounts of disposable handwarmers are found scattered around scenic hot spots in nature. It is good to keep in mind too, that many of the tourism activities take place on the ice which also melts every spring summer.

It is not the duty of the locals to pick up the waste dropped by the senseless tourists at the spot where the effects of the warmers wore off. However, the waste in nature hurts the local eye and mind, and it is the local people who collect garbagebagfulls of disposable warmers from the nature once the snow is gone. This increases the local resentment towards the senseless visitors who have no respect for the nature or its future. When in their own country, some tourists may have the habit of dropping the items-turned-into-waste at the spot the item becomes useless. However, when visiting the Sámiland, do like the locals do and carry your waste to the nearest or most suitable waste disposing place. Please do remember that not all garbage dispose units are public, but some are privately owned instead.

Instead of buying short-time single-use disposable handwarmers, responsible visitors act like the locals do. That is, responsible visitors buy hand-made woollen, that-is natural-fibres, mittens and socks made by local Sámi handicraft makers. Those mittens and socks can be worn during the whole visit and even after the visit. The other responsible way is to use guided tours to the nature when the service provider lends the proper clothing to deal with the Arctic weather.