Alright, so I decided to actually try this whole “travel with minimal waste” thing on my last trip. Wasn’t aiming to save the planet single-handedly or anything, just got tired of looking at overflowing bins and feeling like I was carrying more plastic packaging than actual stuff.
Getting Ready – The Real Deal
First off, packing. Threw out all those tiny hotel shampoo bottles I’d collected. Useless. Got myself solid shampoo and conditioner bars instead. Took a few tries to figure them out, but hey, less plastic. Found an old metal tin for my regular bar soap.
Next up was food and drink gear. My reusable water bottle was essential, obviously. Dug out my trusty metal spork and packed a couple of cloth napkins from home. Also grabbed a collapsible coffee cup I had lying around – figured I’d use it eventually. For snacks on the go, I just loaded up some small reusable silicone bags with nuts and dried fruit. Easy peasy.
The big change: Toiletries. Instead of those small plastic toothpaste tubes, I got toothpaste tablets. Felt weird at first, like chewing a minty piece of chalk, but they did the job. Packed my normal bamboo toothbrush. Found one of those reusable ear swabs online, looked a bit strange but worked okay.
Didn’t really change my transport much, still hopped on the train. But the goal was making sure my backpack wasn’t just a carrier bag for future rubbish.
On the Road – Trying (and Sometimes Failing)
Okay, this is where the real test started. Saying “no bag, thanks” in shops felt a bit weird initially, but honestly, most cashiers didn’t blink. Just stuffed things straight into my backpack.
Eating was hit-and-miss. Sometimes cafes were cool with me using my own container for takeaway leftovers, other times I got funny looks. So, yeah, sometimes I still ended up with a disposable box. You can’t win every battle.
Refilling my water bottle was surprisingly easy most places. Just gotta ask or keep an eye out for fountains. The coffee cup definitely saved me from grabbing a few paper cups, especially at the train station.
- Having my own snacks was brilliant. Saved me buying overpriced, plastic-wrapped stuff when I got hungry waiting for connections.
- Finding bins for actual recycling? That was tough. A lot of places just had one bin for everything. So, some stuff probably didn’t get recycled even though I tried.
- Made a point of leaving the tiny hotel soaps and lotions alone. Just used the bars I brought.
It wasn’t all smooth sailing. There were times when I just needed something quick, and the only option came wrapped in plastic. Bought a plastic water bottle once because I was absolutely parched and miles from a refill spot. Felt a bit rubbish about it, but sometimes convenience just wins.
Also, constantly explaining why I wanted tap water or why I was carrying a fork got a little old. People aren’t always clued into this stuff yet.
So, Was It Worth It?
Yeah, I reckon so. Look, I didn’t achieve zero waste. Pretty sure that’s impossible unless you forage for berries and live off-grid. But I definitely, definitely cut down on the amount of junk I produced. My hotel room bin barely had anything in it by the end, which was a nice change.
It actually felt pretty good, knowing I wasn’t contributing quite as much to the local landfill. Plus, packing lighter with reusable items was kind of freeing.
What I figured out: You absolutely need to plan ahead a bit. You can’t just wander into it and expect miracles. And you need to be okay with occasional awkward moments or just accepting that perfect is impossible.
Will I keep doing it? For sure. I’ll probably get smarter about it each time, find better ways. It’s definitely a learning curve, not a switch you just flip.
