I'm finally back home, my week in Norway was amazing as always and I often wonder why I still haven't moved there, but that's a subject for a different time. This week I thought I'd go back to my usual subject but still not deviating completely from the travel theme and so this post came to be, low waste traveling. I think we're all aware that traveling isn't the most eco-friendly thing in the world but, truth is, we all get the travel bug sometimes and all we can do is try to reduce our waste as much as possible to somewhat offset our travel footprint. There are plenty of ways you can do this:
- If you're traveling by plane make sure to check-in in advance, that not only saves you time but also, you can ask for your e-ticket instead of printing one, less paper, less things to carry around, one less thing to worry about, plus, most trains and buses also offer this option where if you buy your ticket online you can choose if you want to print it or show it on your phone instead.
- Know what to take with you but also what you're allowed to take, a water bottle is always necessary, if you're traveling by plane remember to empty it before going through security and fill it up once you're past it, I recommend you buy a stainless steel bottle, there are plenty of options out there, but the one I have is the 24 Bottles Urban Bottle (500ml) and I love it, although, if we're being honest, if I were to buy mine now I would go with the Clima Bottle instead to keep my water fresh when I'm in the sun all day or my tea warm when I'm in the cold.
- Bringing your own cutlery is also a good idea, you can obviously buy travel cutlery in bamboo or even something like this stainless steel folding spork, but why buy something you already own? Grab a cloth napkin, a spoon, a fork and you're done, the napkin can be used to clean up after a meal or even to wrap your food. Just don't forget to leave the knife at home, let's not get into trouble at the airport.
- If you're a snacker, then you should always make sure you have your own snacks and containers with you, this way you can avoid the expensive prices of airport food and the plastic that comes with it, also you won't be stopping at every corner store you see. I usually take my own Tupperware with me, for instance this time I had lunch included on my plane ticket, but I still had to take something to eat afterwards as I was only getting to my final destination at around 10pm, so I took an apple wrapped in a cloth napkin and a few cookies on a small and light Tupperware. Obviously, you have to think about your own eating habits and what you have at home already, but if you'd like to buy a container, I'd recommend you go with a stainless steel one, as they're usually quite light and won't keep odours.
- If you're someone who likes to have smoothies and coffee on the go, you should remember to take a cup, I've previously mentioned Keep Cup as I absolutely love their look, especially this Brew Cork I designed. If you'd rather not buy something else, a glass jar will do too. They're allowed on board, as long as they're empty when you're going through security. This is a great idea because we all have glass jars at home we can use, so you're not buying anything new.
- If digging around the bottom of your bag looking for all your items isn't really something you're interested in then you have to divide and conquer. Set one or two pouches aside and divide your travel essentials among them. Decide what you need to take with you on the plane and put it in one pouch, for me this would look like this: headphones, toothpaste and a small jar of toothpaste, hand & lip balm, handkerchief & cloth napkin. As for the day to day pouch keep in mind what you use/might use eveyday, this pouch would look like this: cloth napkin, reusable cutlery, a produce bag in case you want to grab a pastry or some fruit, a tote bag for any shopping, a handkerchief and some lip balm. Obviously, your essentials may look totally different to mine, so feel free to customize them to your own needs.
- I always carry a reusable grocery bag in my day-to-day life and when I'm traveling that doesn't change. Make sure to bring one that can be folded easily that you can carry with you for any grocery or souvenir shopping you might do or even to use as a beach bag if needed.
- Speaking of souvenirs, these might seem like a bit of a step back on the whole low waste movement, but that's really up to the way you're doing it. My tip is: buy what you already need! Forget fridge magnets and keychains, don't buy things you wouldn't usually buy. Keep a mental list of things you need but that you're in no hurry to buy (be it extra handkerchiefs, tote bags, a blanket, you name it) and save those purchases for trips. Once you're on vacation, if you happen to come across one of those items you'll feel no guilt in buying it because you actually need it and, every time you use it or look at it, you'll be reminded of your trip. Another option would be going with a consumable, if you're a coffee or a tea addict that would be a great souvenir to take home with you, tea is usually my first choice, especially because I can always buy it in bulk or a pretty tin, which I can then reuse for years.
And there you go, just a few of my tips & tricks on how to stay low waste while traveling that you might try yourself. Before I go I'd just like to add, as great as zero waste might seem, you have to remember you'll never really achieve zero waste while traveling, not even if you bring your whole kitchen and bathroom with you. No matter how much you prepare yourself, travel will always make trash, no matter how much you try to avoid it, so don't be angry at yourself when you have to buy one packaged snack, or when you forget your cloth napkin and have to use a paper one at a restaurant. Zero waste becomes low waste when you're away from your day-to-day life and that's okay. Let me know in the comments below some of your tips on how you stay low waste while traveling, let's keep this conversation going.
