Easy & Practical Travel Tips for the Eco-Conscious Serial Traveler

According to a 2018 study, the travel sector is responsible for approximately 8% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Sadly, there’s no way to make traveling completely zero waste, at least not without making it completely exhausting.

The last thing we want to do on traveling is to cut back on convenience. The act of traveling is exhausting enough that our focus is on comfort and enjoyment. But we can’t deny that there’s a need to be more eco-conscious, especially when traveling.

According to a 2018 study, the travel sector is responsible for approximately 8% of the global greenhouse gas emissions. Sadly, there’s no way to make traveling completely zero waste, at least not without making it completely exhausting. Not all of us can go the extra mile, but there are still ways we can reduce our contribution to the problem.

Go Local or Go Far

Aviation contributes to 2% of global human-induced carbon emissions. Journeying by train or bus emits much less carbon dioxide per passenger. When the travel bug hits, try to choose a destination that can be reached by public transportation. It’s easier on the wallet too!

If you’re adamant to fly though, make it count by choosing destinations with long haul flights. The shorter the flight is, the more carbon emissions per passenger mile. It’s also worth noting that carbon emissions vary per airline, so do your research.

Bring a tumbler and metal utensils

Don’t you get annoyed when you find trash everywhere? Try your best not to contribute.

Bringing a tumbler of water and refilling whenever possible will keep you from adding to plastic bottle waste. It will also save you from dehydration in case you end up in places where you have no idea where to buy water.

As for the metal utensils, they are much easier to clean than those made with bamboo. 

Though not considered as eco-friendly, brining utensils made with stainless steel makes it convenient to say ‘no, thank you’ to plastic cutlery.

Pack eco bags – lots of it

Eco bags are incredibly versatile and lightweight. You can take them anywhere!

Eco bags of all sizes easily fit into any travel bag. Taking them with you means you can go shopping without needlessly collecting plastic or paper bags. You can also use eco bags for segmenting dirty laundry and clean clothes, as well as shoes and souvenirs!

Stock up on products for travel in bulk

Instead of buying travel-sized toiletries, get refillable, leak-proof bottles.

Stop buying sachets! Instead, get a small toiletry kit. Stock up on bulk-sized products, you can use them to refill the kit as needed. It’s important to store big bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and whatever products you need for travel together so you can make a habit of refilling the small bottles. This is a great way to minimize waste AND will prevent you from forgetting any essentials.

Additionally, soaps tend to be left behind because they’re notorious for making a mess in bags. Either opt for liquid soap or break down a regular bar of soap into small chunks that are easier to bring.

Cut your luggage in half

Be mindful of what you pack. You’d be surprised with what you can live with (or without) for a few days.

Everyone has a tendency to overpack, so check your luggage multiple times to see how you can pare it down further. Lighter luggage reduces the fuel consumption of your chosen mode of travel.

Dedicate 15 Minutes to Clean Up

Beach cleaning
Think of cleaning up as a way to help preserve the travel destination that gave you good memories. It only takes a couple of minutes!

It gets difficult to enjoy nature when you can plainly see evidence of humanity’s lack of respect for it. Taking just ten to fifteen minutes of your vacation to pick up trash and put them in the proper bins (or at least contain what you can in one area) will already do more for the environment than you can imagine. Doing this may even inspire others to be more conscious of where they throw their waste, so you could really make an impact without much effort! All it takes is fifteen minutes. 

Be mindful not to be confrontational to those who don’t follow your example though. No need to ruin your holiday (or someone else’s) with people who might find your good deed condescending.

These tips are easy to integrate in any trip. It will even help you reduce costs without sacrificing comfort! Most importantly, it will make your trip more fulfilling to know you made an effort to stay eco-conscious.

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