Your packing list for a waste-less summer
Ahh, one of the sweetest things about taking a vacation is the break it offers from your day to day routines. But that can also mean it’s easy to lose track of your waste-less habits when you’re away from home, so we made this packing list to make it easy to keep your waste low on the go.
Bonus: these tips also limit the liquids you’ll bring along. For the liquids you do take, pour a bit into a reusable container or look for products that come in aluminum tubes, which have gained popularity thanks to their recyclability.
Reusable snack bags are a great option for carrying these waste-less products. Consider them the first things you should grab!
Shampoo and soap bars
Shampoo bars are popping up from tons of brands thanks to their effectiveness and sustainability. You can take a whole bar on a trip, but if you want to be sure not to waste any or forget to bring it back with you, cut a slice from your bar. Take a bit of a bar of soap, too, to avoid using hotel shower minis in plastic.
Deodorant and lotion bars
Less common than shampoo and soap, but still readily available, body care products including deodorant and lotion are another simple way to free yourself of travel-size plastic while taking just enough for your trip to lighten your load.
Toothpaste tablets
Chomp, then brush! Toothpaste tablets make it easy to take just what you need on a trip and avoid using a plastic tube. The texture and process may take a day or so to get used to if you’re new to tablets, and a trip is the perfect adjustment period. You just might continue with them when you get home.
Laundry sheets
Laundry sheets are plastic-free, concentrated detergent held together by resin and paper. They dissolve just fine in the sink, in hot or cold water, so they’re perfect for hand washing while you’re on a longer trip or traveling light. You can even bring a dry bag as a waterproof container. Just dissolve the sheet in the bag, toss in your clothes, give it a good massage, and rinse.
Zero-waste sunscreen
Not only is zero-waste sunscreen great because of the non-impact on the waste stream, it also tends to also be reef safe, avoiding chemicals that damage the coral reef (oxybenzone is the biggest culprit). You’ll find a variety of application methods, including creams in glass jars, sticks in compostable cardboard tubes, and wax in aluminum tins.
Refillable hand sanitizer
Our favorite on-the-go options come in small aluminum containers you can refill from a larger recyclable container. Some brands still use a plastic pump, but refilling means you’ll only need one to use over and over.
Snacks
If you want to avoid grabbing a snack packaged in multi-layer plastic, take along your own snacks in a reusable bag. It’ll save a few dollars, too!
Reusable water bottle
Simple, but so easy to forget! Take along your water bottle to stay hydrated and avoid single-use bottles on the road.
Reusable cutlery and straws
If you’ll be in situations where plastic forks or straws are provided, think about taking along a reusable kit. They don’t take up much space and come in handy in day-to-day life, too, especially for folks who work outside of home. Bring along a brush for cleaning, too!
A big tote bag
You may or may not be planning to shop on your trip, but a tote bag is always a good idea, even if you just end up hitting a convenience store. You can even use it to carry recyclables until you find a container to drop them in.