Travel

Zero-Waste Travel: A Realistic Breakdown

Traveling zero-waste sounds great, in theory. Then suddenly you're standing in a travel aisle of the supermarket grabbing mini versions of everything you own, stuffing a quart-size bag to the brim, and telling yourself you'll do better next trip. We've been there.

Travel creates a lot of opportunities for waste, from packaging to impulse purchases, carbon emissions and more. Making a few intentional swaps can help you lessen the waste you create, and the weight of your bag.

Shed Water Weight (From Your Luggage)
Single-use, travel-sized toiletries seem convenient, but they are made with additional, unnecessary packaging and take up more space in luggage than expected. Cut down on waste and space by shedding your water weight! Swapping liquid toiletries for dry or solid products is a great place to start.

A few of our favorites:

• Toothpaste tablets
• Shampoo and conditioner bars
• Solid deodorant
• Goat Milk Shave Bar
  
• Stain Remover Stick

I recently cut off just enough of each of my bar soaps to pack together in a Double Round Recycled Plastic Travel Soap Case. It doubled as a soap dish and kept my products dry and all in one small space.

For products you can't switch to solid, skip the travel aisle and fill liquid toiletries in refillable travel bottles with what you already have at home. Our favorites are Refillable Silicone GoToob+ that come in four sizes, lock to avoid spills and come with a lifetime warranty.

Create a Capsule Wardrobe
A capsule wardrobe strikes the balance of packing light and having an array of options. If you coordinate colors, you can create over 16 outfits from four bottoms, four tops, two pairs of shoes and a couple layers.

I did this on a recent, two-week trip to Europe with my husband, and this is what it looked like:

Ok, I have to be honest, I caved and packed a couple extra tank tops, but I'm so glad I did because Europe was experiencing a record-breaking heat wave for half of our trip. (Thanks, climate change.)

My husband also created a capsule wardrobe, so we were able to pack everything we needed in a couple carry-ons, backpack and tote bag (still with half a suitcase and over half the backpack empty). This approach made the bags easier to manage on trains, cobblestones and the many, unexpected stairs up to our accommodations.

Zero-Waste Necessities
Packing a snack for the road or airport? Take it in a mason jar! Once you arrive at your destination, it can be cleaned and reused throughout the trip to hold leftovers, a drink or toiletry storage. 

Stasher bags and Beeswax Wraps are other sustainable options for packing food or bringing leftovers back to your room without relying on single-use containers.

Of course, we can't forget a reusable water bottle. This simple swap can save so much single-use plastic, and filtered water stations can be found in most public spaces nowadays, including airports.

Declining daily hotel housekeeping is one of the simplest ways to reduce water and product waste without any extra effort on your part.

We love to pack a Loofah Sponge and Facial Round for fast-drying alternatives to wash cloths, especially when staying in non-traditional accommodations that may not stock some for every day. Both are compostable, quick-drying and take up less space than towels in luggage.

If dishes and laundry are necessary on your trip, take a small piece of a Dish Washing Block and a few Laundry Detergent Sheets to cover multiple loads. I recently took an ounce of our Liquid Laundry Detergent and a few clothes pins to wash and hang our airplane clothes in the hotel. It took very little time and gave us another outfit for the trip (that we didn't have to pack).

Explore Sustainably
Once you arrive at your destination, consider taking public transportation, renting a bike or exploring the area on foot. If you need to fly, booking direct flights, packing light and choosing airlines that use newer, more fuel-efficient planes can reduce your carbon impact. If renting a car, look for EV or hybrid options. We realized that we could get discounted rates on ride shares when we selected EV - a win-win!

Shop Small & Local
It's so special to bring a piece of our travels back home. When shopping, consider where items come from before purchasing. Shopping local and small supports the community you're visiting, reduces the environmental impact of what you're purchasing, and usually means you're getting something more meaningful than a mass-produced souvenir. Go paperless when you can; however, tickets, receipts and physical mementos make great additions to travel journals and scrapbooks.

Final Wandering Thoughts
Zero-waste travel isn't all or nothing. Take what works for your trip and leave what doesn't. Even starting with what's in your toiletry bag makes a real difference. If you need to restock before you go, we're here to help!