It was one of my goals this year to live a more “low-waste life.” Doing so includes finding ways to travel with less waste and just produce less in general. My family only drinks milk from a local dairy with a glass recycling program (glass is always recyclable, plastic isn’t) and I no longer buy items from the store that come in packaged plastic. It’s been a change for sure, but I think that the Earth thanks us for it. Here are a few low-waste travel tips for your next vacation.
Most Excellent Low-Waste Travel Tips
Use Shampoo and Conditioner Bars instead of Minis
Not only are mini shampoos, conditioners, and body washes often more expensive for way less product, but these tiny items account for tons of our country’s plastic waste. To combat that, I like to travel with shampoo and conditioner bars from Lush. They come in an aluminum tin (that can be reused and biodegrades!) for easy storage. They have options for lotion, deodorant, and toothpaste as well.
Bring Utensils and Reusable Dishes
Eating at taco carts and kitchy lunch places is part of the fun of traveling. But unfortunately, a lot of these places serve their food on plastic plates with plastic utensils. Using these items isn’t very low waste. To combat that, bring your own portable silverware set that you just wash before reuse. You can bring your own straw, and dishes too. Check out this reusable set from Amazon.
Refillable Water Bottles Will Save You Money
Not only are plastic water bottles a fortune to continue buying after a period of time, but they are pretty bad for the Earth, too. Bring your own reusable water bottle to fill up at public fountains whenever needed. Plus, if you do it this way, you can practically find drinking water for free! My favorite bottles are HydroFlasks.
Package Your Own Snacks
Again, you’ll have to bring your own set of dishes in your luggage, but I don’t think that’s too big of a deal. Instead of relying on convenience store snacks to sustain you throughout the day, head to a local grocery store and purchase tons of local produce instead. Package these up in your hotel room before heading out for a great low waste treat. Plus, it’s fun to sample local produce whenever possible.
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