Ultimate Sustainable Travel Tips & Packing List
The current waste and plastic crisis can be experienced first hand by each and every tourist. The sad reality is that this pollution of our planet earth extends to each corner of the globe from our vast oceans to lush green woodland. As humans selfishly we are slowly killing the planet and in turn home to the beautiful destinations we love to visit.
Sustainable travel needs to be a priority for every traveler, luckily traveling sustainably is surprisingly easy and only requires an eco-conscious mind-set and perseverance. Being an eco-conscious traveller even further enrich your overall travel experience by truly immersing yourself in a new land and culture and bringing you closer to nature.
Traveling sustainably is surprisingly easy and something that should be a priority for each and every one of us travelers. It requires a simple eco-conscious mind-set and perseverance. Being an eco-conscious traveler even further enrich your overall travel experience by truly immersing yourself in a new land and culture and bringing you closer to nature.
To get you on your way to becoming a Sustainable Traveler I have outlined some of the best sustainable travel tips for you to try on your trips abroad, why not even start now? I have put this together from our recent family trip and will be applying it to my next trip in a week. This is a guide to sustainable travel tips to help you become a zero waste and sustainable traveler and help reduce plastic waste, and pollution and assisting in a better future for us all.
Safe Drinking Water & Reusable Water bottle
One of the best investments you can make is purchasing a reusable water bottle, it will become your new best friend – yes really! Carrying around your own trusty water bottle not only saves you a ton of money but it will literally save our oceans, coastlines, and animals. Shocking research revealed that by 2050 the ocean would have more plastic by weight than fish. A simple sunset stroll by the beach will reveal these statistics aren’t just estimation, it’s our current reality.
Once you have arrived in your new destination don’t hesitate to kindly ask staff for a re-fill of filtered water at your accommodation, be it a hotel, hostel, guesthouse or a nearby restaurant. Most are more than happy to provide you with safe and clean drinking water from the kitchen, some will request a small price to cover the cost of the filtered drinking water. The locals will be more than impressed at your efforts to minimize plastic waste and that can inspire others to make a change towards sustainable travel, zero waste living and ditching plastic single-use bottles once and for all.
Take your reusable water bottle everywhere you go, I mean everywhere, and you’ll never look back. Traveling can be unpredictable and there will be moments you are stuck in a situation where you may be feeling thirsty and dehydrated with no access to safe drinking water, you may have no other choice but to buy a bottle of water – this is okay. Remember your health comes first, no one is perfect and there will be times where you can only do your best. If you have to buy a plastic bottle you can still recycle or reuse it instead of using it once, think outside the box.
Avoid Single-Use Plastic
Single-use plastic includes straws, bags, containers, food wrappers and bottles. We know how to avoid purchasing plastic bottles, but what about the other disposable plastic items we come across daily on our travels? Replace your plastic straw with a reusable bamboo or metal straw and carry it around in your bag at all times so you can enjoy your favorite drink with your own eco-friendly straw, it’s a win-win! Along with your reusable straw, it’s super handy to have a spare travel cutlery set ready in your bag for those street food market temptations.
If you are on the go you can swap a plastic to-go container for your own Mason jar or stainless steel containers, which you can fill with your go-to zero-waste snacks from local market or health food shops such as nuts or dried fruits which you can nibble on throughout the day at the beach or during your flight. Packing at least two canvas tote bags can be a lifesaver on holiday; they are lightweight, durable and can be used for anything from carrying some exotic goodies from your local fruit market to being used as a handy beach bag. Mesh bags and cotton produce bags are also great to have on hand when travelling. Use them for shopping, laundry bag, or a lighter option to carry food in.
Reduce Meat
During your travels we can make a huge positive impact on your own health and the planet. The industry requires an enormous amount of water, land and food for the production of meat, harming the beautiful country you are visiting. Ditching meat and dairy will do wonders for your overall well being as well as reducing the risk of consuming bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
Eat & Shop Local
Shopping at local markets, buying from zero-waste food shops, and dining in local eco-friendly restaurants and cafes supports the local people and communities whilst helping the environment. We all love to collect souvenirs on holiday, be mindful of your habits on holiday and buy native gifts, clothes, toiletries, foods and drinks that have been made locally with minimal packaging to shorten the supply chain.
Not only is this an incredible way to experience the real people and culture of your destination but you will also be supporting the local farmers, workers and mother earth. Plus, who doesn’t want to enjoy the delicious local cuisine?
Get Involved
There is no better way to get involved with the local community during your travels then by volunteering your time whilst on holiday and assisting with projects, beach clean up or helping with other environmental projects in the local area. If time isn’t really on your hand simply picking up 5 pieces of trash along your way as discarding them properly will make a big difference. Thanks to social media and the power of the internet a simple search will give you plenty of volunteering options. You can give back to the beautiful destination you are visiting, have fun, learn about the local environment and meet new like-minded people.
Traveling is amazing, fun with so much to see and do. Let’s protect our planet best we can and be more eco conscious. When travelling near or far keep this handy check list to assist you on your zero waste journey.
Sustainable + Eco-Friendly Travel Packing List :
Reusable Stainless Steel or Glass Water Bottle
Reusable Food Containers + Flask or Beeswax Food Wrapper
Bamboo/Stainless Steel/ Glass Straw + Cleaner
Canvas or Cotton Tote Bag x 2
Zero Waste Snacks (Nuts, Dried Fruit, Bliss Balls, Local Fruits, Chips)
Zero Waste Toothpaste/Powder
Coconut Oil in Reusable Bottle
Crystal/Cream Zero Waste Deodorant
Bamboo Hair Brush
Menstrual Cup i.e Mooncup or Washable Menstrual Pads
We all have to begin somewhere and it’s no doubt that sustainable travel and becoming an Eco-friendly traveler may seem like a huge challenge. It requires the right mind-set and determination to make a positive change to protect our planet. Making the right Eco-friendly and sustainable travel choices like the ones listed in the post can be so incredibly rewarding, especially when you know it is protecting and caring for the beautiful places, beings and animals of the world.
Which Sustainable Travel tip did you find most useful and has it made a positive change to your and/or the environment? Or do you have any more awesome tips to share? Leave your insightful comment below or @ – us on Instagram (@zerowastebali) we cant wait to hear about your Eco-friendly sustainable travel chat, tips and ideas!
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