The holidays are approaching (yes, I said it). Which means many of you will be traveling to visit family in the next couple of months. Traveling can definitely make it trickier to avoid single-use items, but don't lose hope! If you've made some eco-friendly changes around your home for your day-to-day life, then traveling should be no different. With a little planning and commitment, you can easily minimize the typical vacation waste. We've gathered our top 5 zero waste travel tips to get you started:
1. PACK YOUR OWN CUTLERY
Did you know France was the first country to ban plastic cutlery?
Even if you’re not traveling to Paris, you can still follow the no plastic cutlery tip for your zero waste travel plans.
Tuck a portable cutlery set, multi-purpose spork, or whatever spare utensils you have around your home into your bag whenever you’re on the go and politely decline those wasteful plastic ones.
2. OPT FOR REUSABLE TOILETRY CONTAINERS
All those travel-sized everythings - hair products, face care, deodorant, etc might be super convenient but they’re also wasteful when it comes to packaging.
Reusable toiletry containers solve your space and waste problems - just refill them with your favorite products before heading off on your trip.
Our Mini Skin Care Set is perfectly packaged in a drawstring bag for your next trip and the eco-friendly glass containers are ideal to refill again and again.
3. DON'T FORGET YOUR MENSTRUAL CUP
Menstrual cups are a little bit genius ladies! You’ll never get caught without tampons on a trip again AND you’ll reduce waste.
They’re especially brilliant for backpacking trips or traveling to remote destinations where it isn’t easy to just go to the store for supplies. Curious but not quite convinced? Check out our post on the benefits of switching to menstrual cups and reusable pads.
4. BRING A MASON JAR
Have you ever noticed the amount of plastic waste on a flight? In particular, the beverages are usually served in single-use plastic cups.
Bring a mason jar with you and ask the attendant to fill it with your beverage of choice instead of using a disposable cup.
Do you know how many other things you can do with a mason jar? It's a versatile all-purpose storage container. Use it for things like:
- Taking leftovers from a restaurant
- Bringing snacks on-the-go
- Staying hydrated (just fill it with some tap water)
5. A MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANSING BAR
For all you travelers with #minimalistpackinggoals, this one is for you.
Not only will a multi-purpose cleansing bar cut out the plastic packaging from several items - shampoo bottles, facial cleansers, and body wash - you’ll totally streamline your packing.
Grab one of our Cleansing Bars - a soap that works for the whole body (hair too!) to simplify your beauty routine at home and on the road. It’s TSA compliant and packaged in a compostable box.
Bonus tip - If you don’t want to take the whole bar, slice a piece off to bring with you. Easy!
We’d love to know your best zero waste travel tips. Share them in the comments below.
