Doesn't it seem like everyone and their dogs are travelling right now! It's all our feeds are full of and we love it – folks reconnecting with their families after years apart, friends reconnected, and new experiences being had. With travel though, often comes a lot of waste so we thought we would share our top tips for travelling! 

Planning your trip

Flying obviously creates a lot of CO2 emissions, so when planning your trip and deciding where to go, is it somewhere you can drive to or train to? That’s not always accessible for many reasons (time, location, etc), so do what you can do and if you have to fly you can make some other changes that are sustainable.

Bring a ‘zero waste kit’

One way I make sure I can still get coffee while on the go on vacation or eat without plastic utensils is to make sure I bring my reusables!

In my ‘zero waste kit’ I have:

• A reusable water bottle: if you’re going through airport security make sure it’s empty and then fill it on the other side! If places are ever hesitant or resistant to fill your bottle you can ask for a cup of water and then pour it in yourself – I’ve done this many times!
• Utensil set: you can buy them here, or make your own! In mine I have a reusable fork, knife, spoon, straw, and chopsticks.
• Travel mug: a mason jar also works great and can also double as a water bottle! 

I also always make sure to bring a reusable bag so that I can avoid using plastic bags if I do any grocery shopping. 

Public or active transportation

If it’s available and accessible where you’re going, public transportation is often a great way to see the city – it’s also often way cheaper than cabbing everywhere! Walking or renting bikes is also one of my favourite ways to see a city and get familiar with it. 

Shopping

I find it really easy when travelling to get swept up in a shopping mood and feel like I need to buy all the trinkets! So here are two questions I ask myself before making a purchase:

1. Do I really need this?
2. Would I want to buy this even if I wasn’t on vacation?

This helps avoid impulse buying and ensuring you’re buying items you’ll actually use when you get home!

Support local

While traveling try to support local and independently owned businesses instead of big chains! I find I always have a much more enjoyable experience and get other recommendations of other amazing local spots to check out.

 We hope these travel tips help your vacations be more sustainable!