You CAN travel waste-free! It's not as hard as you think...
Spring is in the air, the sun is out once again & that means TRAVEL TIME!! I absolutely LOVE to travel, but whether by plane, car or train, traveling can create tons & tons of trash. And because we want to relax and get away from the stresses of "the real world", worrying about trash is the last thing on our minds. I get it! But the health of our planet matters. We have to step up to do what we can to protect the state of our planet, even when we travel. (this photo makes me really sad)
(Source: www.therogueginger.com)
So let's get to the list that will help keep you waste-free wherever you go! Tip tip, hooray! (yes, that was a Cold Stone tip song)
MASON JARS! You can buy a box of these bad boys at any hardware store, Target, Whole Foods, Bed Bath & Beyond, I've even seen them at CVS! They come in all shapes & sizes, but my favorites are these 24 oz pickling jars because they fit in most car holders and are much easier to hold. You can also get these larger guys for a monster smoothie or leftover pasta sauce ;)
Cloth drawstring bags are great for farmers markets and the bulk section at the grocery store, but they are also what I grab to pack snacks. I throw in dried fruit, whole fruit such as apples, bananas and oranges, nuts & seeds...done!
Stainless steel containers aren't just for camping anymore! I try to take mine when I go out to eat so if I have leftovers, they go in my container. When it comes to travel, these containers are light and air-tight so you don't have to worry about lugging around something super heavy (I really don't recommend using glass jars...your back & shoulders will thank me) OR worry about it spilling. Win win :D
Reusable straws are a must for travel. Glass or stainless steel + paired with a lid from a company like Simply Straws = waste free drinks for days! I even have the denim sleeve and it really comes in handy for when my smoothies get too chilly for my hands. Waste-free can be fun, see?
This is kind of a big one, but toiletries: deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner & lotion can ALL be homemade or at least bought with zero-waste. All you have to do is throw them into your travel bag & you're good to go! No need for the small hotel toiletries :D
For shampoo, I use various bars that I get in bulk from Whole Foods. They usually last me 2-3 months so it's a steal!
For conditioner, I bounce around with trying different recipes. I've used straight lemon juice with a little water, ACV with water, and most recently, I've been using Dr. Bronner's Hair Rinse. (the bottle is recyclable & lasts me at least 5 months) My hair LOVES it!!
For lotion, I used to get an organic, homemade body butter on Etsy. It came in glass and used only natural, organic ingredients which was fantastic, BUT my friend started making her own body butters (that come in cute little mason jars) so I'm supporting her now!
That's not so bad! The more of us that are traveling waste-free, the more that other companies, organizations & individual people will catch on. If there's a way we can feel better about the impact we make, why wouldn't you do it? I hope you'll join me this spring & summer to travel as waste-free as possible :) remember your reusable water bottles!! P.S. I have one more tip for the road...literally. Choose to bring fresh, organic fruit (or buy some when you get to your destination). There's always at least one store that sells produce. And get this......FRUIT IS IT'S OWN PACKAGE! Bananas, oranges, pineapple, avocados (yes, it's a fruit), papayas, watermelon, you get the idea. Now that's fast food!! And yes, I have been that wacky person that brings her Vitamix and bags & bags of produce to hotels ;P
