(Right image from FreePik 2019)
We all want to do our bit to help the planet, right? It can feel incredibly overwhelming though, anyway, you're one person so you won't make much difference...right? Wrong! If everyone thought that way there would be no growth within the human race, there would be no change. I have always said, as long as you are doing you're best and what you feel comfortable doing then what more can be expected? Travelling is not the most eco friendly hobby, lets face it, but that doesn't mean that we can't make a positive impact when traveling!
Water filter bottles
I talked about these bottles in my Solo travel blog but they are worth a mention again. These bottles allow you to safely drink tap water, river water or even water from a muddy puddle. You can buy one between a group of you and distribute the water from the bottle into glasses or you can have one all for yourself. You can take the bottle with you everywhere and can fill it up from anywhere. This minimises single use plastic bottles and keeps your costs down! Win win.
This is the brand I used when I went to Indonesia and Australia, it was great and did the job. You can buy new filters as after a year the filter will need replacing. Or after a year you can buy another brand and try that one! If you're interested in aqua pure water filter bottles, click here.
Group travel
Whether you are travelling alone or with family, you are likely to meet people on your trip and form some holiday friendships. A great way to reduce you're carbon footprint is to carpool with these people! If you are all wanting to go to a certain place, why not plan it for the same day and share a taxi? You can also travel by public transport or coaches to help reduce you're carbon footprint. I know, sometimes this is stressful and can feel unsafe, so I recommend always using companies that work closely with your hotel/hostel or are very well known. If using public transport, have a brochure or a print out of where you want to go to show the driver or ticket sales person.
Reusable/recyclable hygiene products
Cotton pads, cotton buds, tampons, sanitary towels, toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste ALL have eco-friendly alternatives. They not only help the environment but some of them will also save you money and save you space in your luggage,
Reusable cotton pads are readily available online, I use a mixture of ones purchased via etsy and other online sites. They are great, work just as well, less waste and less spending as I'm not buying packs of cotton pads every other week. I highly recommend this fab starter pack from My Little Eco Shop, plus you can save some money if you use code travelbee10 at checkout! The net wash bag these come with is a brilliant way to store them and wash them. A little tip from me, store the clean cotton pads in a jar and use the net bag to pop your dirty ones in, Once the bag is full just put it in to wash on a low, eco wash setting, air dry and away you go. (Image from My Little Eco Shop, 2021)
Reusable cotton buds are also a thing, and I would highly suggest them for long term travel. Unlike the eco-friendly bamboo single use version, these ones can be used repeatedly and are very easy to pack in your wash bag! I have these ones, but again, there are many different versions out there to choose from so have a look around and see which ones would suit you best! I do really recommend these ones though, being silicone they are so easy to wash and the carry case they come in is very small but secure. (Image from My Little Eco Shop, 2021)
Tampons and sanitary towels are slowly becoming a thing of the past. There are lots of new, eco friendly versions coming onto the scene. My personal favourite is the menstrual cup (or moon cup). There are SO many brands out there now and it can feel incredibly overwhelming when trying to decide which one is going to be best for you. I've trialed a few different brands now, Pixie cup being my go to. Be You offer a great starters bundle and is where I started. I moved over to pixie cup after finding their cup sanitizers on amazon, read up about the companies ethos and fell in love. Great company, amazing products and supporting a great cause. Would highly recommend them for all your menstrual needs. I also highly recommend a cup for travelling as it takes up less space, you only need the one, it's easy to transport and easy to clean.
(Image from Be You, 2021)
If a cup isn't for you, there is also the option of plastic free tampons or reusable sanitary towels. My Little Eco shop offer an excellent range of funky patterned sanitary towels and liners with the option to add a wash bag!
Bamboo toothbrushes can be composted (once the bristles have been removed), which is a much better alternative than sending a plastic one to landfill. Bamboo toothbrushes are now widely available both online and in stores. To be honest with you, I am currently using one I got off ebay for about 2 quid. My Little Eco Shop offer exactly the same toothbrush for the same price, and with my coupon code (travelbee10) it'll be even cheaper! For Christmas, I got lots of eco-friendly alternatives and start sets, one which included bamboo toothbrushes and a bamboo toothbrush carry case which will definitely be coming with me on my gap year.
Plastic free toothpaste is also an option, I've used the toothy tabs from lush where the bottle can be returned to be re-used and recycled. There are, however, many more options becoming widely available.
(Image from Lush, 2021)
Lastly, another great space saver and eco-friendly product is solid shampoo and conditioner. I have used and traveled with Lush shampoo bars in their metal tin. These take up so much less space than a standard plastic shampoo/conditioner bottle, they don't have single use plastic and they last so much longer! I have seen more and more alternatives becoming available, so again it may be worth researching into these other brands and seeing which ones work best for your hair. I would recommend My Little Eco Shop for the variety of shampoo bars they have, there is something on there that will suit your hair needs, guaranteed!
Shopping responsibly and sustainably
Before you go travelling there will be items you want to purchase/upgrade such as a backpack, cap and sunglasses. My best advice for these items is to shop for them from a company that supports the environment, gives back to charity and are an eco-conscious company. I recommend True Wanderer. They donate 25% of their profits to a variety of charities focused on fighting for the environment whilst offering great products for a reasonable price. I highly recommend their hiking backpack that is waterproof and has an air flow loading system making it comfortable and convenient. Use code travelbe15 to save yourself 15% at checkout!
(image from True Wanderer, 2021)
This blog is not sponsored by My Little Eco Shop, I am part of their team helping to share their amazing products and encourage people to swap to eco-friendly products. A lot of these products will also be useful when travelling for saving space and money! The prices on My Little Eco Shop are the best around and the quality of the products is amazing. Just a little FYI, if you purchase items from their shop using the links in this blog we may earn commission. The same goes for True Wanderer, they have not sponsored this blog but I do work with them, meaning I am able to offer you guys an amazing 15% off. If you purchase via the links in this blog, we may earn commission.
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