Zero waste is a term majorly used to emulate the absence of materials which can become waste. This is made possible by using them again as useful resources, going back to the source of materials and managing the product and the relevant procedures accruing to production before release to avoid potential waste.
Globally, the implementation of zero waste has been embraced since it leads to subsequent reduction in the disposal of wastes ranging from air, water and land. Consequently, it has led to the boosting of overall health. Regardless, one of the areas that are bound to result in disposable products and wastes is the travel industry. This article therefore seeks to air 20+ easy ways to travel with zero waste.
- Obtain your plane ticket by downloading it online. The evolution of easy and quick internet has brought about e-commerce. This is complimented by the presence of technological advancements in smart phones. As such, it is better to have a plane ticket as a download (e-ticket) rather than a physical piece of paper which is bound to be a potential waste.
- Use items such as baking soda which are multi-purpose. Baking soda is a component that can be very helpful in travels since it can be used as toothpaste, detergent for laundry, body deodorant and the cleaning of utensils. This will reduce the need to have a lot of items for each of the mentioned purposes. Instead, it will minimize waste.
- Ensure that you have reusable napkins. These can serve a lot of purposes since they can be used to wrap foods which lead to less use of plastic bags that are potential wastes by themselves. Napkins can also be used for cleaning dirt off clothes or cleaning up after eating. Cloth napkins are more preferred to plastic ones are they can be reused. Having them in your possession is a plus.
- Personal packaging of snacks for the trip in reusable containers. Most snacks are brought in plastic papers and containers which eventually become wastes. To avoid this, an individual can pack snacks in their mason jar or their own napkins to avoid future disposal of the plastic papers while on travel.
- Pack and use a bamboo toothbrush. Basically, bamboo is biodegradable which enables better disposal when compared to constant purchase of plastic toothbrushes that are disposed after making travel thus adding to the wastes on land. The bamboo is also preferred for travel since it is not harmful to the health of the traveler and the environment.
- Make sure to use luggage tags which are reusable. It is common for people to travel with luggage. It would seem that the tags used for labeling the luggage end up as waste since they cannot be used again and leads to pollution of land. It is thus necessary to seek tags which can be used for another purpose after they are done with the role of luggage tagging.
- Have in your possession a handkerchief or two. These are useful since they can be used in place of napkins when feeding, drying tears or mucus and just need a rewash instead of disposal. In addition, they are easy to package and take up very little space, which is vital in lessening the bag load. They also last longer than napkins which is a plus. It also improves the personal hygiene of the individual.
- Ensure that you have with you a mason jar. It is essential to have one to keep wastes which cannot be disposed during travel. It serves as a store for a lot of items from beverages, drinks, snacks and leftovers. This saves the use of plastic utensils to serve these items. Upon alighting from the travel, it is easier to make a disposal of the wastes.
- The packaging of a menstrual cup is essential for ladies. Its presence minimizes the use of the conventional pads which end up in the landfills. It is also very safe and comes in handy anytime during travels. The cup also ensures personal hygiene and comfort while on travel.
- The packaging of a non-disposable shaving razor is essential for men. The purchase and use of disposable razors leads to unnecessary wastes which can be avoided through the use of permanent non-disposable ones which can be reused for every travel made or for home use. There is also the option of not carrying any shaving gear at all and probably growing a beard but that would bring discomfort to some men. The use of the non-disposable razors promotes hygiene and neatness.
- During or before travel, ensure you dine from a normal restaurant. Eating from such places ensures that you are fully satisfied before the travel and thus, it lessens the chance for you to order snacks packaged in plastic of polyethylene bags. This is a sure way of combating the use of paper bags for wrapping foods and snacks. Again, eating from local street joints aids to save the environment since they offer handheld foods which have zero chance of pollution.
- Say no to the issuing of paper receipts. It is a necessity for the travel agencies to offer you, the one making the travel a reality, a paper receipt. Unless extremely necessary, if asked if you would like one, a no should suffice. This is because in most cases, people end up dumping the paper receipts which increases waste.
- Have with you a reusable water bottle. This dissuades the purchase of plastic water bottles which are easily disposed as wastes. The bottles should be insulated and stainless. A reusable water bottle is essential since it only requires filling whenever there is a break from the travel. In addition, the water bottle can be used to fill beverages or drinks which save on the use of plastic cups and disposal of glass bottles.
- Pack a ball point pen that is easy to refill. This will ensure that there is no disposal of empty lids which cannot be refilled. A refillable pen is refilled during stops and can be used even after the travel is over. It is essential since one can need the constant services of a pen during travel and carrying a lot of non-refillable is cumbersome.
- Have a cloth bag. This will ensure that you have a place to keep your clothes, away from plastic bags. Again, a cloth bag can be carried anywhere. That is, in hotels and during the travel. It minimizes the packaging of newly purchased clothes in plastic bags during the travel by packing them directly in the cloth bag thus reducing waste of plastic bags.
- Proper usage of water made available. Water is a scarce resource. The degree of this scarcity varies with places. As such, during travels you should mind the way in which you use the water. This can be done by taking shorter time in showers and reducing incidences of cloth dryers.
- Preferably, stay in homes and avoid hotels. There is a clear advantage in this move. At home, you are able to prepare and cook your own food thus reducing packaging. Moreover, there is a higher chance of recycling at home. Home made products such as soap can be used to clean clothes and left to dry in the open. Hotels do not offer all these.
- For entertainment, read online materials or listen to music. The essence of this is that it will prevent the presence of physical reading materials such as magazines which can be wastes once they are discarded. To avoid this, it is better to have books online that are just a click away. Avoid the purchase of paper reading materials.
- Walk whenever you can. The constant use of planes and highly combustible automobiles during travel causes emissions to the environment which is toxic. Consequently, whenever a walking option appears, grab it and in doing so, there is no emission that is exhibited.
- Use public transportation for destinations. While making travels in a place newly visited, public transport is essential. It ensures less fuel consumption which is a gain for the environment.
- Capture memories using cameras and videos. Normally, travels provide a chance to take a look at new places and tour. It is thus essential to have a camera or video whether as an item by itself or by using a smartphone. This will capture the moments experienced thus avoiding the purchase of items to act as constant souvenirs. An increase of physical items during travel may lead to misplacement which would lead more waste on land.
- Conduct a research on the desired destination. This will enable you learn of the local stores and the present items on sale during your journey. This is very essential. With such information, one is able to pack less or plan earlier knowing where to purchase locally made items which are easy to maintain while making travels.
