Eco-friendly guide to packing

Well hello to you my reader chums! It's no secret that society's daily life is having a harmful impact on the environment - and we need to begin doing something about it. I'm no eco-saint, however, I've started making little changes in my lifestyle that'll have a more positive impact on the environment. As I travel a lot, I'm aware of the environmental impacts and have therefore come up with some tips to share with you.

Here's my eco-friendly guide to packing...

Eco-friendly guide to packing

Whether it's visiting a city for a long weekend or backpacking a rural country for a month, there are things you can do, to ensure you're packing in an eco-friendly way.

Purchase a reusable water bottle

Probably the most obvious point, buying a reusable water bottle. Wherever in the world you are, you need to stay hydrated and water is the best thing for that. Having a water bottle on the go always will allow you to fill it up at any cafe or restaurant you pass - and prevent the necessity of purchasing small disposable bottles over and over again. 

You can buy water bottles of all shapes and sizes, which allows you to find one that'll fit your bag perfectly. There are also filtered bottles available, and bottles such as the Chillys brand that'll keep water cold all day long.

Pack a few tote bags

Similar to buying a lot of disposable water bottles, we do the same with plastic bags. Most supermarkets now charge for plastic bags to essentially prevent people from getting more. However, to be one step ahead of the game, bring your own. When you pack your suitcase or backpack, bring a few tote bags along - so if you want a shopping spree or need to go for a food shop on your trip, you'll already have bags to hand.

Consider swapping to a bamboo toothbrush 

Plastic toothbrushes are the norm for everyday living, however, they have a worse impact on the environment than you may think. Many toothbrushes are not biodegradable and can sit in a landfill for years, instead of decomposing. With that in mind, by swapping to a bamboo toothbrush, when you change it on your travels, it can be recycled and you'll be doing that bit for the planet.

Bring travel size reusable cutlery and straws

When travelling, I'm pretty guilty of buying a milkshake or take-out food in a local cafe, who most-of-the-time hand out disposable plastic cutlery and straws. To prevent the usage of disposable plastic, pack yourself a set of travel size reusable cutlery and steel straws. There's plenty of places to buy them online and they will come in handy more than you think.


Eco-friendly guide to packing


Use organic or reusable sanitary products

When I started researching into ways to make my lifestyle more eco-friendly I also came across sanitary products. It's no secret girls get periods, but what many people don't know is that majority of sanitary waste cannot be recycled and sits in a landfill. To make that change as you're travelling, consider reusable options such as moon cups, or cotton sanitary pads, or those made of biodegradable materials.

Get yourself a collapsible coffee cup

You may have seen many shops and cafes stocking reusable coffee cups, and they're definitely the way forward. If you're a big coffee fan or love a hot drink, invest in a reusable cup to take on your travels. You can either buy a standard glass one - or choose a collapsible cup. These cups mean after you've finished your drink, you can collapse them into a disk and store them in your backpack - a convenient and easy way to buy coffee.

Try shampoo bars

The first time I heard about shampoo bars was in Lush. I always go past them as I pick up every bath bomb in sight, but never had the chance to buy one. However, after I read about them, I realised how eco-friendly they were and how easy they are to bring travelling. Shampoo bars will take up less space in your baggage, can be reused many times and have no excess packaging. That means when you're finished, you won't be throwing away several plastic bottles. The whole product will be used on your hair and that's all.

Purchase a microfiber towel

If you're travelling for a long period of time in a hot country, a microfiber towel will come in handy, and it's beneficial to the environment too. Microfiber towels are much more absorbent than a regular towel and are smaller in size! They're also quick drying, and as they're slightly smaller, reduce water usage when you wash them.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other eco-friendly ways can you pack?

Thank you for reading <3

3 comments

  1. Soon I will be buying a bamboo toothbrush - I didn't realise how bad plastic ones are for the environment! Great post, more awareness needs to be raised about being eco-friendly :) x

    -Charlotte / myownblogofthoughts.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. These tips are amazing Della! I've never thought of using a bamboo toothbrush or a microfiber towel! Lovely blog post!😊

    Xoxo
    Shirley | https://shirleycuypers.blogspot.be

    ReplyDelete
  3. I loove tote bags and I try to remember to keep one in my handbag at all times! Great tips, hunni xx

    xx
    www.thedecemberdame.com

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for reading my blog! I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful in anyway. I'd love to hear any feedback you may have.