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Mar 22nd, 2023 by Admin

Let’s learn to travel without plastic

Let’s learn to travel without plastic

There are several strategies to reduce your plastic footprint when on vacation, or a work trip. Some are just common sense, while others are a little more inventive. As usual, the goal is to make it enjoyable and gratifying rather than a job. Do not be too hard on yourself if things don’t go exactly as planned, but preparing ahead can help a lot. In my experience, there are three major aspects to consider while traveling, regardless of whether you are traveling by automobile, public transportation, or walking, and whether you are self-catering or staying in a hotel:

  • Basic travelling kit
  • Prepping for the food for travel
  • shopping intelligently at your destination

Basic Travelling Kit

We carry our bottles of water, bamboo cutlery, and at least one reusable shopping bag with us whenever we leave the home. We must have saved hundreds of plastic bottles, carrying bags, and cutlery just by using these three products. This is a list of goods that may be included in your basic travel kit:

  • Fabric shopping bags: Fabric shopping bags and compact bags take very little room and are necessary when going shopping because many shops and supermarkets do not provide paper bags, even for fruits and vegetables. Little cloth bags are ideal for buying stuff like fruits, snacks, and so on when on vacation. They also have many other useful purposes.
  • Reusable Water Bottle: Reusable water bottles: don’t be afraid to ask for a refill – access to safe drinking water is a fundamental human right. You can simply check where you may refill at participating cafés, bars, restaurants, stores, and venues by downloading the handy refill app on your phone. Water drinking fountains are now available at many airports and stations. You can even prefer stainless steel bottles. These bottles are doubled walked and keep cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot. The best part is they are durable and non-plastic.
  • Lunch boxes: whether metal or Tupperware, lunch boxes are useful for transporting packed meals and shopping for loose produce at your vacation location. I frequently bring an empty glass jar with me so that I may buy almonds and other such goods at local markets.
  • Bamboo cutlery and straws: We all have a compact and reusable set of bamboo cutlery that is perfect for café take-out and street cuisine on the run. You might use regular silverware or camping utensils instead of bamboo. I might bring some non-plastic drinking straws as well. This way, you may avoid using plastic cutlery and straws while also saving money on biodegradable silverware, which is now available in many places. Compostable packaging is still a one-time-use plastic derived from plant crops that require industrial composting to degrade.
  • Hand Towel: Avoid using store-bought wet wipes and instead bring a towel or cotton handkerchiefs on your travel. Moist wipes comprise plastic and are a major environmental hazard. These are on the list of items that will soon be prohibited in the United Kingdom and the European Union. There are non-plastic-wrapped paper kitchen towels and tissues also available. But still cloth is preferable. 
  • Beeswax wraps: if you have not heard of this fantastic replacement to cling films or foil, you’re in for a surprise. Beeswax wraps are safe and reusable. They are useful for wrapping anything that must be kept fresh. They’re fantastic for eating on your lap and wrapping up leftovers until you can go to a garbage can.
  • Toiletries and sunblock: I’ll also bring toothpaste in a little container, deodorant, soap, and other toiletries. Soaps are particularly beneficial for business trips because most hotels pack their separately portioned amenities in plastic, resulting in a massive volume of solitary plastic waste every day. Even if you despise the fragrance of a lush store, I recommend purchasing their shampoo soaps and matching metal tin – ideal for travelling. 

Prepping for the food for travel 

We go with our own packed lunch and beverages because it is so difficult to find ready-made meals and drinks without plastic wrapping. It’s not as difficult as you may think if you keep it simple like some sandwiches, cheese, fruits, almonds, chestnuts and other dry fruits.  Carry plenty of water, which may also be used to wash sticky hands, as well as a flask of hot tea.

While flying, remember to empty your water bottle before going through security. Once in the departure lounge, you may refill it. You are permitted to bring your own food on board a plane. Don’t rely on pricey airport cafes or food trolleys for sandwiches and beverages – it’s a plastic nightmare.

Strangely, if you are on a lengthy road trip, fast food restaurants might be handy for a quick paper-wrapped supper that won’t break the wallet.

Shopping

Markets are an excellent option to buy without using plastic while on vacation, particularly on the continent. Find out about local markets around you and make sure you know what day they are open before you go.

Instead of supermarkets, shop at local grocery stores. When shopping for freshly produced foods, you may make excellent use of your lunch boxes. If you’re feeling brave, you may take a large covered pot from your vacation kitchen to the market. Always select unpackaged products over-packaged items, next cardboard and paper, and lastly plastic if there is no other option.

Whether eating out, keep an eye out for additional bits of plastic. Individual plastic milk pods and individually wrapped cookies with your coffee, plastic bottles, plastic straws, plastic wrapped hot towel after an Indian dish, takeaways with plastic cutlery, the list is extensive. So many plastic goods go unnoticed until they are handed to us, and even then, we forget that we may simply decline them and return them. If you need something to eat with your evening drink, grab a tiny starter instead of the usual chips and peanuts.

Finally, here’s a pro advice for dealing with the trash while on vacation: Food scraps and anything wet, such as coffee grounds and egg shells, should be placed in one of your lunch boxes or wrapped in newspaper and thrown away at the end of the day. Glass and cardboard should be recycled as normal, and any other dry trash should be placed in a paper shopping bag. You’ll stop using plastic garbage bags entirely.

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