Alright, so you know how travel can be, right? Awesome, but man, the amount of plastic trash I used to generate on trips really started to bug me. It wasn’t like an overnight thing, but more like a slow, nagging feeling. I’d see those bins overflowing with plastic bottles and takeaway containers, and a lot of it was mine. Felt pretty crummy, to be honest.
Figuring Out the Water Situation
So, I decided I had to do something. The first, and easiest thing I tackled was water bottles. Seriously, this was a game changer. I just went out and bought a decent reusable metal water bottle. At first, I was a bit worried about finding places to fill it up, especially in new cities. But you know what? It’s usually not that hard. Cafes are often cool with it, airports have fountains, and sometimes you just gotta ask. It became a bit of a mini-challenge, finding my next refill spot. Way better than buying plastic bottle after plastic bottle.
Tackling Toiletries – The Solid Switch
Next up on my list: those tiny hotel toiletries. Ugh, the bane of my existence. So many little plastic bottles! I started looking into alternatives. This is where I discovered solid toiletries. I mean, I’d heard of them, but never really gave them a shot.
- I got a solid shampoo bar. First try was a bit messy, it kinda melted in my bag a bit. Learned my lesson and got a proper travel tin for it.
- Then a solid conditioner bar. Same deal, needed its own tin.
- Eventually, a solid soap bar for body wash instead of those little gel bottles.
It took a bit of getting used to, and finding brands I actually liked, but man, the space it saved and the plastic it cut down was huge. Plus, no worries about liquids spilling in my bag or dealing with those airport liquid limits for carry-ons. Win-win!
Food on the Go – This Was a Tough One
Okay, food packaging. This is still the hardest part for me, not gonna lie. Street food, quick snacks, takeaway meals – they all come with so much plastic. But I started making some small changes. I got myself a reusable cutlery set – just a simple spork at first, then a proper little set in a pouch. It feels a bit dorky whipping it out sometimes, but whatever, it works. I also try to carry a reusable container. If I know I’m gonna grab takeaway, I’ll ask if they can put it in my container. Sometimes they say yes, sometimes no, but it’s always worth asking. And just trying to opt for things with less packaging, like loose fruit from a market instead of a pre-packaged fruit salad. It’s a conscious effort, for sure.
The Mighty Reusable Bag
And of course, reusable bags! This one’s a no-brainer but so easy to forget. I now have a couple of those lightweight, foldable bags that squish down to nothing. I just keep one in my daypack all the time. It’s amazing how many plastic bags you can refuse just by having your own. Whether it’s for souvenirs, groceries, or just random stuff you pick up.
So yeah, that’s been my journey trying to cut down on plastic when I travel. It’s not like I’m perfect at it. There are still times I slip up, or times when there’s just no other option. But I’ve definitely reduced my plastic footprint by a ton. It actually makes me feel a bit better, a bit lighter, when I travel now. It’s more about the effort and being mindful, I think, than about achieving some impossible zero-waste ideal. It’s a process, and I’m still learning as I go.
