- Bring reusable straws and utensils. This is one of the simplest hacks for preventing waste with plastic, disposable straws and utensils. Bring your own bamboo, plastic or metal straws and utensils with you in a travel case and you can simply use, wash and reuse everywhere you go. A few pieces of trash in a landfill can add up quickly.
- Use public transportation. The best option for transportation is walking when possible, but when the distance is too far or you have other limitations, sometimes that’s not an option. The next, most eco-friendly option for transportation is public transportation that moves as many as possible. For example, the metro or a bus is better than an individual rideshare service or taxi.
- Opt for eco-friendly rideshare options. One of the most popular transportation options is rideshare services like Lyft or Uber. While these are great when carpooling with multiple friends, it can be just as damaging to the environment as driving yourself when there are only one or two passengers. One way to minimize the impact on the environment is to opt for the eco-friendly rideshare options when available. For example, Uber offers an Uber Green option using an eco-friendly vehicle.
- Eat in your hotel. Avoid the waste of getting more food than you can eat at a restaurant, getting to-go containers and disposable wrappers when eating out. When you stay at a hotel like Extended Stay America with fully equipped kitchens in every suite, you can grocery shop, make your own meals and avoid all the extra trash of wrappers, plastic utensils and wasted food.
- Wear. Wash. Rewear. While doing laundry does use some natural resources like water and energy, it can actually be more eco-friendly than alternative options like shopping for excess clothes and consuming fast fashion. In the long run, it’s less harmful to the environment to have a few staple outfits that you wash and rewear than it is to buy new clothes for every event and live in excess.
- Limit water usage. There are plenty of ways water can be wasted throughout your day that you may not even notice. You’d be surprised the amount of water you can save by simply turning off the water while you brush your teeth, shampoo or shave. Another simple way to limit your water usage is to shorten your shower length by a few minutes.
- Pick up trash. Another impactful way of helping the environment is to help pick up litter when you can, wherever you are. An easy way to do this is to bring a trash bag with you when you’re on the go. If you see trash or litter, pick it up, bag it and dispose of it when appropriate. It’s a simple act that can go a long way to helping the environment and ecosystem.
- Use reusable bags. Imagine all the waste you’d save if you opted out of the disposable bags every time you went shopping. Using a cloth bag or buying a reusable tote and carrying it with you is an easy way to be sustainable and avoid excess waste.
While on the go, it’s important to give back to the places you go as much as you get out of them. We hope these sustainable travel tips help improve your green thumb and the environments you visit.
