How to Travel Sustainably
One of my goals for 2020 is to be more environmentally conscious in my day-to-day, and I’m hoping this translates into how I travel as well. Now, I’m someone who believes in moderation, so you’ll find that my tips below really don’t require a huge lifestyle change. I think this is more about understanding your environmental impact and assessing the easy ways in which you can be more eco-friendly. The climate crisis is real, and we all need to do our part.
I’m going to break this post up into two sections - 1) Things you can buy that will help you live more sustainably while traveling; 2) What you can actually be doing while on a trip & outside of your comfort zone/already familiar go-to’s for sustainability.
My Favorite Products to Live Sustainably
Water Bottle: Nalgene. One of the easiest ways to reduce plastic consumption is by bringing your own water bottle everywhere you go. All airports have water fountains which you can fill up before your flight (no waiting for flight attendants to bring you water either!)
I think the biggest concern is what to do if the water isn’t safe to drink in the area you’re visiting. The usual go-to would be to buy bottled water everywhere, but I’ve found that there are several portable water purifiers you can bring. I’ve purchased a SteriPen Aqua UV Purifier.
Bamboo Utensil Kit. Bamboo is generally a very sustainable crop because it requires no fertiliser and self-generates from its own roots. Because of this, large amounts of water aren’t needed for bamboo. This travel kit also allows you to avoid using plastic utensils if you’re ever getting take-out, or if you’re hiking/camping. Bamboo also has anti-bacterial elements that helps preserve the cleanliness. This kit also comes with a straw & straw cleaner! So many wins.