Are you planning a trip? Do you wonder how you could decrease your plastic consumption during your holidays?
Here are a few simple ideas to get you started!
Reusable water bottle
More and more people are using non-disposable water bottles in their day-to-day life. But, did you know that you don’t have to leave it at home even when flying? The rule of 100ml containers applies only to bottles that contain more than 100ml of liquid. If you empty out your water bottle before a security check, you can take it with you on the plane. After going through security, fill it in a water fountain at one of the airport bars or cafés. Having your bottle with you also means that you don’t have to rely on onboard service, which, by the way, uses huge amounts of disposable containers!
Lunchbox
You take your lunchbox with you to work every day, so why wouldn’t you take it with you on holiday? There are a few good reasons for this. If you are travelling either by plane, train, car or bus you can use it to pack your snacks. This way you won’t have to buy overpriced food at the airport or petrol stations, and are usually nothing like delicious and healthy homemade meals. This solution may possibly even save you from a stomachache (or something worse).
After you reach your destination you can use your lunchbox, just as you do at home, to prepare your snacks for the day. Of course, there is no need to give up restaurants! What would travel be without local flavours and fragrant aromas? But sightseeing can be tiring, and there aren’t always cafes and restaurants nearby. With your lunch box in hand, you can visit a local market and fill it with fresh fruits, vegetables or nuts, ready to restore your energy whenever you need.
After you’re done you can keep the leftovers in the lunchbox and dispose of it later. Remember that fruit and vegetable peels, and cores left on the ground in the woods, or a meadow, can change the composition of the soil around it and disturb natural processes that take place within it.
Cosmetics decanted into small containers
Have you ever settled for a cosmetic you don’t like only because your favourite one didn’t come in travel size? There is a simple solution for this. All you need to do is to find a small jar or tin and put your favourite product in it. We recommend our 7g jars and small tins for this purpose. The bonus is that you can refill the travel size containers with anything you fancy!
Another great idea is to take combined “hair & body” soap with you. Not only is it solid, and therefore makes getting through security easier, but it also takes much less space in your luggage than separate bottles of shower gel and shampoo. If your soap bar is too large to fit into your container, just cut a piece off and take that!
Repacking your cosmetics, and reusing old jars and tins, can help you save a fair amount of money, whilst at the same time drastically reduce the amount of plastic you throw away!
Handkerchief
A handkerchief can be extraordinarily useful during travels. As a tissue, it can last much longer than a paper one. It’s also reusable so you won’t end up throwing tissues and their plastic wrappers in the bin. You can use it as a bandanna to secure your head or neck from sun! And, last but not least putting a wet handkerchief on your neck can be a great way to cool yourself.