Greetings weary travelers! We present the long awaited sequel to Eco-Friendly Travel: Part I. Last time we covered eco-friendly travel tips for snacks and drinks, with no single use plastic in sight.
Now we leave the culinary pleasures behind and head to different shores. The sometimes stressful, sometimes pleasing land of packing.
The old proverb says that the devil is in the details, to be honest, we don’t really get what that means, but we do know that a big part of the waste of travel comes from small packing mistakes.
This guide will help you think twice before buying those tiny little plastic travel containers, deodorants, toothpastes, face wipes, lotions, sunscreens,….(the list goes on and on.)
We know that it sucks, because we also used to love that section of target with the adorably tiny versions of all the bottles of things you need. We also know that even if you carry a water bottle around, its not always safe to fill it up. There is some level of waste that must be generated to travel, and we accept that. Here, we are about minimizing it in all the ways we can.
Join us on our journey to be more eco-conscious travelers!
Water Bottles, Water Filters
We have a heavy stat for you. Are you ready? Are you buckled in? This is a doozy guys, and totally legit. Over 60 million plastic bottles are used EVERYDAY. Do you know how much that adds up in a year? We won’t make you do math, we will tell you. 22 BILLION.
It’s hard to understand this number, so here is a little perspective.
Think about the last time you stood outside on a clear and very dark night and looked up. The amount of stars you see is staggering, incomprehensible. And you think all these deep thoughts about life, love, black holes, the origin of the universe, the origin of anything, the beginning of time, the endless mystery, and of course plastic.
The amount of stars visible to our naked eye is only 5,000, and Earth kinda gets in the way so you are only really seeing half of 5,000. So, its not so much when you think about it, right?
Now that you have a visual of a big number, think about the 60 million plastic bottles thrown into landfills everyday.
*mic drop*
20 0z.
But, what if I can’t drink the water everywhere I travel?
Not everywhere has the luxuries of developed countries, and honestly there are places even in highly developed countries where the water is not safe. Remember the Flint, Michigan issue? Never risk your health. But here are some options that we have used in developing countries.
But, I don’t want to carry a water pump….
That’s okay! You can also use water purifying tablets. But you don’t want to over-do it on them. So if you are traveling for a long period of time it is better to pump. Here are some options for water purifying tablets and solutions.
Leaving the wonderful world of potable water behind
We now enter the region of tiny travel bottles. Cute they are, but what is not cute is the ecological mess they leave behind. We rant a lot about plastic, so don’t make us do it again. Buy tiny reusable containers. That’s all you gotta do! Here are some adorable little options.
If you like things fitting neatly together, this next section is for you
If you ever wanted to be one of those people that packs the perfect amount of stuff, and remains organized while on the move, I have a suggestion. This will help you get rid of the ziplock plastic bags or shopping bags you might use to organize (or is that just me?). These are also better options than the plastic compression bags that tend to end up in the trash can after a few uses.
Travel may now commence!
Okay guys! I think you are all set to travel in style, and leave a much smaller ecological footprint than before! Tune in next time for our reading list that will further educate and guide you to being a well-informed eco-warrior.