Seriously folks, eco-travel seemed like extra work until I realized how much cash I was literally throwing in the trash. Here’s how my last trip went down:
My Wake-Up Call at the Airport
Sat there staring at my overflowing bin – empty plastic water bottles, flimsy sandwich wrappers, a bunch of sauce packets, that dumb travel-sized toothpaste I finished immediately. Felt gross. Added up the receipts: spent ¥250 just on airport water and snacks alone!
What I Actually Packed This Time
- The Hero: My sturdy water bottle. Empty through security.
- Sidekicks: Small reusable coffee cup & Tupperware that nested together.
- The Toolkit: Cloth napkin, a few used ziplock bags (washed!), spork stolen from takeout.
Navigating the Airport (Like a Mission)
Got past security easy. First stop: Water fountain. Filled the bottle – cold, free. Victory! Wanted coffee. Skipped the chain kiosk; found a real cafe. Pulled out my cup: “Medium drip, please. In this.” Got a nod, saved ¥5 on “for here” pricing somehow? Grabbed a pastry they put directly into my Tupperware. Zero wrappers.
On the Plane, Holding Strong
Flight attendant with the drinks cart approaches. Deep breath. “Just water, thanks!” She started pouring into their sad plastic cup. “Actually,” I said, reaching under my seat, “can you fill this?” Handed her my bottle. She paused. Looked at me. Looked at the bottle. Then… smiled and filled it to the brim! Dodged four plastic cups right there.
At the Destination: Staying Sane
Hit a market ASAP instead of a convenience store. Bought local fruit sold loose – plums & peaches right into my mesh produce bag (forgot that earlier!). Bought a small refill pouch of laundry powder instead of travel packs. Hit the street food stalls – pointed at my Tupperware: “Could I have the dumplings in here, please?” Saved on takeout boxes and got bigger portions!
The Result? More Money For Fun!
- Airport Food/Drinks: Spent ¥40 (pastry) vs. last trip’s ¥250.
- Single-Use Stuff Avoided: Bottles, disposable cup(s), clamshells, countless plastic wrappers.
- New Souvenir: Used that extra cash to buy handmade local ceramics!
It sounds fussy? Maybe a little at first. But honestly, carrying my bottle became second nature faster than I thought. Felt good knowing less crap I bought ended up in a ditch somewhere. Felt even better having more cash to actually enjoy the trip instead of paying for trash. Win-win.
