“Remember that happiness
is a way of travel, not a destination.”
-Roy M. Goodman
As I prepare for a trip and think about what I’m going to pack, I realized all the unnecessary plastic and waste that I come into contact with each time we travel. This is especially true if we fly. So what’s one to do to decrease their waste while traveling? I’m going to share some things we do while traveling to prevent throwing things out.
Take Your Water Bottle With You
We always have four water bottles with us. I know, this seems excessive and crazy. But with two adults and three kids, it’s really not too bad. Justin and I both have Kavu bags and, yes, sometimes we even require the children to carry their own bottles. If we’re driving, you can almost guarantee we’ll have our travel coffee cups too.
Remind Waiter/-ess “No Straw Please”
This one can be frustrating in the states. I remember asking for no straw and the first drink wouldn’t have it, but then the second would. *Sigh* In Europe, most places give you a glass bottle of water so this hasn’t really been a problem. But when flying I do remind them.
Pack Food When You Can
Bananas, oranges, and apples are great traveling treats. We have even packed things in reusable baggies and then thrown more food in them for the flight home. Plus, when we drive, I can pack a HUGE salad for a fraction of the price it would cost if we stopped on the autobahn. We also avoid unnecessary packaging that come with to go foods. If you can’t pack food, why not dine in? Sit down, take a break from traveling, enjoy your food, and avoid throwing out the to go packages.
Pick Up Trash
I loved Greece. A little part of me will always wish I was Greek with their awesome history, beautiful sites, and delicious food. But when we were on the beaches there was SO much plastic and broken glass. I was constantly picking up things and throwing it into the trashcan. I got some weird looks, but I have always been that way. I was the kid taking a trash bag into the creek behind her house to pick up trash and would get mocked by people. But maybe, just maybe, I left an impression on one person.
Try to Refuse Disposables
Now, I’ll admit, I have been told no about this. I have even asked for coffee or water in my own cup and been told no. If it’s a short flight I usually, begrudgingly, tell them to forget it. I won’t die without that cup of coffee or water, so I can wait the hour. But some will! This, of course, makes my little hippy heart happy.
Sometimes you can get lucky in airports and find water fountains or soda fountains with a water option to refill too.
Pack Your Essentials
I bought a Deathly Hollows holder for my straws. Now, I keep it and them in my Kavu bag for when I’m traveling. I have also packed sporks when we lived in the states since it seems EVERYTHING is disposable, even at some sit down places.
I also always pack my own toiletries. I never know what the hotel will have so I’m unsure of ingredients of their products. I also like the peace of mind knowing that I’m using my own things that aren’t going to be thrown out after my visit. I use to be one who said “GRAB ALL THE FREEBIES!”, but am now more of a “Don’t touch those!” type of person. If you don’t want to lug around your large shampoo or conditioner bottle, why not save containers from something else? I have searched online and even found glass travel sized bottles I could take on a carry.
Keep a Sewing Kit Handy
Don’t ask me when I acquired my little sewing kit. I have had it in my bag for so long I’m not even sure when I got it at this point. *Knock on wood* I haven’t had to use it. But it would save me the trouble of throwing out a shirt I didn’t have room for because I had to buy a replacement while on vacation. Just some food for thought!
Have any travel plans coming up? I’d love to hear about them!
I hope you found these tips valuable. Even if you can only do one or two of these, that is one or two less things in the landfill my friends!
I wish you safe and happy travels!
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