Living a plastic-free lifestyle is no small feat, traveling often makes that even harder. Below are some tips on how to make traveling plastic-free easier!
Bring a reusable water bottle & mug
I always bring my swell bottle and yeti mug everywhere with me for water and tea on the go. Most airports have filtered water refill stations now and most cafes will fill your personal mug. There is a new app called ReFill that will show you where the closest filtered water refill stations are. This saves you money and stops plastic bottles and cups from entering our oceans or landfills.
Bring a reusable tote/shopping bag
Cotton totes can double as a shopping, beach and/or laundry bag. They don’t take up much space in your luggage and you will keep wasteful plastic bags out of the mix. I gift a 100% organic cotton tote with my logo on it to all my clients.
Bring bamboo cutlery
We all know traveling consists of a lot of eating on the go, it’s hard to avoid it. Instead of using single-use plastic cutlery, bring your own reusable cutlery. I use this bamboo set from the Package Free Shop.
Bring a metal travel straw
Skip the plastic straw and save a sea turtle. Always ask you waiter to skip the plastic straw, if you love drinking out of a straw bring your own. Final Straw makes a great collapsable straw that is compact and easily attaches to your keychain.
Bring solid beauty products in stainless steel tins
Travel size toiletries are very wasteful, this is a great way to reduce plastic waste when traveling. Shampoo, conditioner, soap, face wash, toothpaste, and body lotion all come in solid form now. My favorite shampoo & conditioner are UnWrapped Life the Hydrator travel set. Bite makes great solid toothpaste bits that come in a glass container.
Use silicone bags for toiletries and snacks
Stasher Bags are my favorite silicone bags and are a sustainable replacement for plastic Ziploc bags. I use them for snacks, toiletries, making popcorn and sous vide.
Bring a stainless steel container
Fill a stainless steel container with snacks for the plane and reuse for leftovers at restaurants.
Pick up trash
Always pick up trash when you see it on the streets and beaches. If you’re in to voluntourism, join a local beach cleanup.
Stay at Eco-Resorts
When you stay at hotels that have the same view on sustainability as you do, you don’t have to work as hard to be plastic free. Do your research before booking a place to stay. The same goes for tour operators, choose sustainable tour operators such as Intrepid Travel. Intrepid is a certified B-Corp and all their trips are carbon offset.
If you liked this post, check out Travel Sustainably!
