On my post Tips on how I started living like a minimalist, I mention how our fast-paced lives and stresses of our modern world have been influencing how we relate to things. Fast food, fast fashion…everyone is so time-poor nowadays that we tend to choose convenience and quantity over quality and we’re now known as the throw-away society. So how can we become more responsible travellers to reverse this legacy we created?
We’re not used to having to question ourselves about our behaviour as consumers. Well, not up to now. And why should we? This should be the government or businesses’ responsibility, right? Not really. Businesses exist because of consumers demand and if consumer behaviour doesn’t change, businesses won’t have to. It’s a two-way street.
Understanding the role we play in the bigger picture can help us create change by making more informed, sustainable choices as well as putting pressure on politicians to change legislation. And if you’re reading this, congratulations
Here’s the ultimate packing list essentials for the responsible traveller:
Solid toiletry bars
Switching back to the old soap bar friend should be no big deal even if you’re like me and prefer using shower gel. But haircare bars? No, I’ve had enough bad hair days in my life to take too big a risk now I finally found a brand that makes my dryness and frizzy-prone hair just about manageable. The no-poo method isn’t an option either. However, the idea of solid bars became ever more appealing since we started downsizing for life on the road. And today, I’m happy to report that after using haircare bars for months, my hair still feels soft, moisturised and equally as manageable. Result!
Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about the solid toothpaste I bought. I really wanted this to work because squeezable tubs are difficult little buggers to recycle.
Maybe some brands are good but Lamazuna definitely isn’t one of them. They took the solid part a bit too seriously because the toothpaste just doesn’t lather.
On the upside though, Lamazuna’s solid deodorant is a bit better, smells nice and has a moderate hold. The downsides are the price and the application because you must dampen the damn thing for it to work so you can’t just zap it and top it up whenever you want. Worth keeping in mind when making your choice, friends!
Sanitary products
Men, if you don’t want to read about women’s bodily fluids, I recommend you to skip down the page. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
The average woman goes through approximately 12.000 to 16.000 sanitary products in her lifetime and guess what? Most of these end up in our in landfills and hang around for centuries. They also contain hazardous chemicals that can pose potential health risks to women.
But thankfully the period goddesses worked their magic to materialise better alternatives for us women which are gentler on the environment too.
A lot of women swear by their menstrual cups but, unfortunately, I haven’t got on with my Mooncup. So I started considering period pants because I was being bombarded by Thinx aggressive social media campaigns. Then I decided to try reusable pads after a friend recommended them as a way to go past my initial ickiness and total skepticism towards the pants. I bought them off two brands. The one which I was recommended is thin, absorbent, can be easily washed and doesn’t stain but the manufacturer isn’t UK-based. The other is cuter, has a better shape and made in the UK but waaaay too bulky.
Whichever option you choose though, it’ll be a one-off investment that’s good for your health, for the environment and so compact that it’ll fit in the smallest handbag.
Razors
Welcome back, boys! This is for you too! I don’t own a safety razor because I can’t justify buying one with other the fact that I find them pretty sexy. However, rumor says they’re good value for money and much higher in quality than disposable razors.
Body lotion and exfoliants
You can either buy lotion bars, make your own or use natural oils like coconut oil. It’s so versatile, you can use it as body and face lotion, makeup remover, mouthwash and exfoliant. Just add a bit of sugar or coffee to make your own scrub or, if you prefer, you can invest in an eco loofah to take it with you. Just make sure you research for a good homemade recipe with ingredients that won’t damage your skin.
Dental floss
I was so focused on finding an eco-friendly alternative that I totally missed the fact that the Georganics floss I bought is animal-based so I added a vegan version to the list. Georganics is weaker than a standard floss so it breaks religiously when I reach my molars but it still lasts forever. It’s also better than using a teflon-like chemical covered plastic floss. Another thing I didn’t take into consideration is that the cute glass container isn’t really ideal for travelling because it can break easily inside your luggage. Not fun. I’m now contemplating buying a water floss device just because they sound like a better and more fun alternative. I hope they’re cheap and compact enough to fit in my backpack though.
Reusable cotton pads
I’ve never been one to wear much makeup but I do love getting my nails done. (Spoiler: not with zero waste stuff). Although I’m currently beauty regimen-less, there are the odd days when I feel like applying a bit of makeup. So I’ve been using bamboo fibre pads as a replacement to the cotton ones and I found them to be a decent alternative. They’re super soft on the skin but there’s some scrubbing involved to remove nail polish, especially when using a milder remover. I also bought a makeup remover mitten but, again, I focused so much on the eco-friendly factor that I ended up buying a microfibre mitten which has a pretty limited life span and, when getting in contact with the brand, they didn’t give me a straightforward answer on what to do with it afterwards other than repurposing it.
Wooden combs and brushes
Don’t throw your plastic comb away if you have one but, if you’re ever buying a new one, go for quality wooden combs or brushes with natural bristles. They’re more durable, better for your hair and sustainable.
Bamboo Toothbrush
This is probably one of the swaps you’ve already seen in the shops as brands keep popping their brown boxes up on the shelves faster than than you can floss your teeth. And this IS a good thing. These toothbrushes are already a better alternative than a plastic one because most of the toothbrush is made from the fast-growing bamboo plant (except for the nylon bristles on most brands), making them super biodegradable. If you’re anything like me though, you might struggle with the switch, the bamboo texture just raises all the hairs in my body making cleaning my teeth not a fun experience. But at the end of the day it’s still totally worth the sacrifice.
Paper cotton buds
I’vent found a good replacement for this yet other than switching to the cotton buds with paper sticks. There’s a stainless steel ear pick alternative but I don’t trust myself risking my own hearing.
Cutlery set
Depending on the kind of trip you’re going for, these can certainly be super useful. We haven’t found it necessary so far on our travels but, I’m definitely considering buying one eventually. They can always come in handy for plane meals or in restaurants where single-use plastic are still being handed out at the same speed that our marine life is choking on our plastic litter.
Reusable straws
When the war against plastic broke, everyone turned their heads at the number one single-use culprit: the plastic straw. A lot of bars and restaurants were quick to make the switch to metal straws, bamboos straws, pasta straws (yes!) and some have taken a more radical stance to a no straw policy without considering people that rely on straws for medical reasons. Much has been discussed since and a lot of cool little businesses were created due to the problem, so you’ve really got two options here: if you can’t stand to drink your cocktail without a straw, make sure to carry your own or if you’re like me and couldn’t care less about a straw, simply say no. In which case, cancel your milkshake order unless you want to have it with a spoon.
Reusable bottles
A few years ago, after the BPA hell broke loose, a lot of people started avoiding plastic bottles like the plague. I was one of them. I thought that sparing my body from unnecessary harmful chemicals was good enough reason to get my own water bottle while I’d save money and be encouraged to drink more water. Now, not only has there been a recent discovery that chemicals used in BFA-free bottles can also be dangerous to our health but the world watched in shock the result of our reckless single-plastic consumption in the environment, bringing us to a rather hard reality check sponsored by Sir Attenborough’s Blue Planet.
So carrying your own water bottle can be a very simple but significant step you can take against plastic pollution. If you’re travelling to countries where water is officially not drinkable, there are filtered water bottles like Water-to-go or Grayl although I can’t attest for their quality as I’ve never used one. I do use binchotan charcoal in already drinkable water to eliminate nasties and use apps like Wetap to find the nearest water fountain for a top up.
Oh! Always remember to empty your bottle before going through airport security, kids. Otherwise, you’ll have to down it in one go and that can only mean one thing: a bursting bladder.
Reusable Cup
Paper cups have very brief lives. In order to make them waterproof, the card is lined with
As I rarely have takeaway drinks, I’ve never found enough good reason to buy or carry a reusable cup, even less now. But recently I was gifted a pretty cool Three mobile cup at the Keyframe conference which can come in handy on flights if I need a drink.
I love Keepcup, especially the glass ones, but if I had to take one with me it’d be a collapsible Stojo cup just because it’s more practical and compact.
Food containers and bags
Small containers, food bags or wrappers come in handy when you have to carry snacks for the road, saving you some extra pennies and avoiding yet more unnecessary cling film. They can also come in handy when avoiding paper or plastic bags when food shopping.
Eat local fresh food
Eating fresh real package-free food is not only good for the planet but for your health. So find your local farmers market, use apps like ZeroWasteHome or Happy Cow to check a bulk bin shop nearby, Olio for food sharing and
Tote bag
Plastic bags have been public villains for longer than the rest of the single-use plastic family after the UK introduced the 5p charge and other countries, like Australia, banned them. These measures were attempts to reduce littering as studies show that plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to decompose in landfills. From then on, tote bags have slowly been replacing their plastic counterparts on our trips to the shops. And who doesn’t love a tote bag? They’re cool, versatile, useful and lightweight on top of being eco-friendly so a perfect companion for your travels.
Travel accessories
Invest in your own accessories such as earphones, earplugs, eye mask, etc so you won’t be tempted to reach for those super single use plastic wrapped accessories that they hand out on long haul flights.
Airport toiletry bag
This bag is a great investment to a stress-free start to your trip, avoiding any last-minute liquid hunting hassle at airport security as well as having to get a new plastic bag on every visit. The material is not ideal but at least it’s a one-off if you’re a frequent flyer.
If you already have any of the ”eco-offenders” of the list, don’t rush to replace them if you don’t have to. Make the most of them while they last and then recycle. Remember the 5Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle. Recycling or binning something should be our very last resort as not all of our waste is getting recycled like plastics, for example.
Being a responsible citizen and traveller is more than just swapping plastic for another material, it’s about creating a new mindset. There’s so much else that we can do: reduce meat and dairy intake, go paperless when possible, use a carbon offset option for your flights , travel light, travel slowly which I talk more about here …the possibilities are endless.
Changing cultural habits is very challenging but it’s just a small sacrifice in return for our stay in this beautiful planet. We’re privileged enough to be discussing these issues when most people around the world are still just trying to get their basic needs met. Approach this as a trial-and-error process with curiosity, patience, kindness and in harmony with your own reality. You don’t (and you won’t) get it right all the time.
And for those not yet convinced, if images of our marine life being drowned in plastic don’t convince you to take action, I don’t know what will.
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