Travelling has become more and more popular over the past years. However, when being on the road, it is easy to waste a lot of plastic. Hence, we have developed great ideas on how to reduce the impact on the environment by going zero waste while traveling. The purpose of Zero waste travel is to prepare smartly to avoid waste altogether.

Build your own Travel Kit:

 Carrying a stainless-steel water bottle with you is very convenient on your travels. It will sustain you for a very long time. Besides, you don’t need to buy plastic bottles all the time. Instead, ask in restaurants or airplanes if they can fill up your water bottle. By using this, you are one step further at going zero waste.

• BPA Silicone Bag: 

These little bags take up no space in your carry on or luggage. You can use these when bringing snacks or sandwiches on your adventure. They are easy to wash and will sustain you forever. Especially, in airplanes, you can bring your own lunch and don’t have to waste anything when packing it in your Silicone bag. 

• Bamboo utensils: 

When traveling, it is very important to use your utensils, so you don’t waste much plastic. By using your bamboo utensils on the plane, you are not wasting any plastic. Bamboo utensils are very easy to clean, very durable and very light which is perfect for your zero waste Travel Kit. 

• Bamboo Toothbrush: 

Speaking of Bamboo, switching to a compostable material is very eco-friendly. So, when you prefer to travel light, try to add a bamboo toothbrush to your zero-waste travel kit.

• Cloth bag/ reusable bag: 

Cloth bags and reusable bags are great when traveling. You can use them for anything. When going to the beach, going shopping or when you just want to buy groceries. These all-purpose bags are great when you are traveling because you are not producing any waste with them. Further, they barely take up any space in your traveler kit.

• Sustainable toothpaste and Floss: 

When traveling, it is important to carry toothpaste with you that is eco-friendly and also, friendly for your health. There are many kinds of toothpaste that contain a lot of bad chemicals such as Microbeads. Microbeads are little BPA- containing plastic fragments that go into a waterway every time you brush your teeth. Hence, try to find an alternative that doesn’t contain bad chemicals. Same thing goes for floss. A lot of flosses contain Teflon which is terrible for your teeth. Try out silk floss instead. 

• Deodorant: 

When you bring deodorant on your travels, make sure that it doesn’t contain any parabens, triclosan, talc, or Aluminum in it. Try to go all-natural here as well. It will help you live a low tox life when you are traveling the world. There are many deodorants that are plastic free as well.

• Makeup remover: 

You can waste a lot of plastic on make-up remover. Luckily you can buy sustainable makeup remover cloths that are very durable and easy to wash. This will save you money and is easy to travel with as well. You can also purchase reusable makeup remover pads. 

 When traveling, one tends to use the liquid shampoo that is filled up in plastic bottles. However, there are great alternatives to that. Firstly, you can use soap bars that are healthier for your body because it isn’t filled with a lot of chemicals and will sustain you for a longer time. Besides that, you can also purchase conditioning shampoo bars. They save you a lot of plastic and are usually good for 100 washes. These are a must for a zero-waste traveler.

• Reusable swab/ cotton pads: 

Reusable swabs are perfect for your travels. They are a sustainable and sanitary alternative for Q-Tips. They are very easy to clean and don’t take up any space in your carry on.

 If you are traveling to a warm place and need sunscreen, then make sure to purchase sunscreen that does not contain toxic chemicals that harm you or the ocean. Chemicals such as Octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) generate damaging free radicals in skin cells. There are many more bad chemicals in sunscreen that can harm you and the environment. Thus, I would research natural eco-friendly sunscreen. When purchasing sunscreen, make sure that It is reef safe too. 

This Zero waste Traveler kit is just an example of how to travel sustainably and efficiently. Further, it is light and easy to pack. Hopefully, this will give you ideas on your next travel adventure. Try to become more aware of your environment and how to live more sustainably when exploring the world. When flying in airplanes, try to use your utensils and water bottles. Traveling zero waste is all about packing smartly. Even when you arrive at your destination, try to eat locally or dine in. Besides, look for ways to improve the area by cleaning up the ocean if you want to go an extra mile.