If you’re anything like us and you love travelling but you also want to take care of our beautiful planet, then this is the post for you. We’ve put together some of the best tips for sustainable travel this summer and we’d love to hear from you if you have any to add! Let us know in the comments, or come and chat with us over on Facebook and Instagram.
Do you really need to travel afar?
It would be irresponsible of us not to mention this… but have you ever considered travelling less? After all, this is the ultimate in sustainable travelling and we just had to put it out there. If you’re still not sure on where to go on your next adventure, how about looking a little closer to home? It will not only save you some money, but it will cut down on carbon emissions too.
Consider how you travel
If a staycation isn’t for you, then maybe consider how you intend to get to your chosen destination. Taking the train, bus or boat will definitely have less of an environmental impact.
Pack Wisely
The less you pack, the smaller your bag- and the more you reduce your overall footprint during your travels. Some fantastic sustainable travel must-haves include:
- Eco toiletries. We recommend taking our Eco Warrior Shampoo bar ( also available for dry hair, or sensitive scalp); Eco Warrior hand and body bar for multi-purpose cleansing on the go and our Eco Warrior Portable Soap Dish to keep them packed neatly away. Just two small bars, in place of potentially several plastic bottles!
- Reusable water bottle. If you are flying, keep it empty until you get through the gate, then re-fill as you go.
- Reusable wipes. These little beauties will see you through a variety of situations- remove makeup, clean sticky fingers, cleanse and tone your face… a must-have.
- Suncream. But not just any suncream. Make sure it’s packaged ethically and produced with consideration to our planet too. This one is non-negotiable in more ways than one.
- Plastic free period products. Chances are, at least 50% of us women will be on our period while we travel, but there’s no excuse for dumping and flushing plastic-ridden products into the ocean, no matter where in the world you are.
- Solar charger for phone. Fingers crossed it will be sunny where you’re going… so use that sun!
- Plastic free toothbrush and razor. No excuses- these should be in your bathroom cabinet all year round, so they should absolutely be in your travel bag too.
- Eco friendly hand wash detergent. Nobody wants to run out of clothes while they’re travelling, and the last thing we need is to panic buy items we won’t ever wear again either. So a small bar of detergent soap is a great item to pop into your case.
- Kindle. Yes, there really is something special about proper, old fashioned books. But a kindle will be a lot easier to travel with and can save a lot of trees from being cut down too. Might be worth investing.
Think about your accommodation
Camping is generally a lot greener than staying in a huge hotel, and you’ll be using a lot less water and energy by going back to basics too. Just make sure you take your rubbish home with you!
Follow good hotel habits
If you do stay in a hotel this summer, there are lots of ways that you can make your stay less impactful. Hang up your towel after the shower, so you can keep it for more than one use. There is no need to wash your towel after one single shower! Turn off all lights and air conditioning units when you leave the room. Recycle local maps and travel guides so that other travellers can use them after you. Walk or hire a cycle to get around. Consider leaving the Do Not Disturb sign on your door throughout your stay- this will cut down on unnecessary cleans and washing of bed linen. Join in with local tours so you take up just one seat on a bus rather than taking a whole car out for the day.
Got any tips to add? Get in touch!
