You want to stay plastic free on your next trips and have a Zero Waste Journey lay down? Then you've come to the right place. Whether we travel to Bali in Indonesia or take a vacation here in Europe - normally, a lot of trash is created during the trip.
With this article, I want to show you how you can go on a real Zero Waste journey - even without totally bending.
13 tips for your Zero Waste journey
I don't want to overwhelm you with hundreds of tips. That's why I'm giving you the best 13 tips for a waste- and plastic-free trip in the sense of the Zero Waste Lifestyle. Let's not waste time, after all, the next vacation is just around the corner.
1. travel with own water bottle
It doesn't really matter which country you're in: Unfortunately, a deposit system for beverage bottles exists almost only in Germany. This means that if you buy a Bali trip has drunk a plastic bottle, it is directly garbage.
The alternative is to own Drinking bottle. I can recommend this Stainless steel drinking bottle and these hip Glass bottles with swing stopper from Soulbottles. You can fill them up after the checkpoint at the airport, for example, and save yourself the waste caused by plastic cups on the plane.
In Bali I have seen the Zero Waste App Refill Bali to have my bottle refilled free of charge. Many restaurants and cafés there participate in this program to avoid plastic waste. Even if there is no refill app for your destination, there is another good alternative. Many accommodations have built-in water filters on tap - so you can just fill up your bottle at your accommodation before you go out. Since we Drink plenty of water daily must be the absolute basis of a Zero Waste journey for me personally.
2. trip with solid care products
Of course, cosmetic products also generate a lot of plastic waste when traveling. In order to also on vacation plastic free living to be able to, you should therefore Shower gel, shampoo and co. replace with solid soaps. For this I can give you for example these Olive oil soap without plastic recommend. It is applicable for both skin and hair.
If the soap has become wet on vacation, you can transport it in a small tin can in the toilet bag. This way you avoid plastic waste from shampoo bottles on vacation.
3. take jute bags & vegetable nets with you
What for the plastic free shopping in Germany is of course also of great importance for your Zero Waste journey. Take a reusable Jute bags and a few vegetable nets with you on vacation. So you can do mushrooms, tomatoes and all other food shopping on the road without waste. The bags are lightweight and easy to store - an absolute must for zero waste travel.
4. pack reusable cutlery
As I have so often in the Nature Travel Blog mentioned, even on vacation you can't get by without the Zero Waste Basic Equipment off. This also includes the reusable cutlery. In most accommodations you will find stainless steel cutlery, but the waste problem with plastic cutlery usually starts with the food on the plane.
By using so a set of cutlery*, you can make an important contribution to your zero waste journey here. It will also help you to eat homemade and transported in the lunchbox on the road without waste.
5. replace paper digitally - even when traveling
An ordinary trip also generates a lot of paper waste. Through digital tickets on the smartphone you can already once a lot of Save paper waste. You don't need to lug around a huge atlas either. Even if you don't have mobile internet at hand, the offline maps from Google Maps help Books can also be viewed digitally on your tablet or eBook Reader read. This way you can take hundreds of books on vacation at once and still not have any extra weight on board. Another valuable step for the sustainable travel.
If you could use some reading inspiration, check out the article on Books about sustainability over.
6. take lunch box & beeswax cloths with you
By making your own Container or also plastic free cling wipes If you take your food with you on vacation, you'll also save a lot of waste. For example, fill your food for the road in the Stainless steel lunch box and enjoy it on your next day trip. That way, you'll avoid waste from spontaneous to-go meals. Also the Beeswax wipes are reusable and keep solid meals like greased breads fresh for a long time.
In the article Make beeswax cloths yourself you will learn how you can easily make them yourself at home. If that is too much work for you, you can get here ready-made Beeswax wipes without plastic.
7. do a CleanUp on vacation
For me personally, part of a Zero Waste journey is to do something about the already existing plastic waste in the ocean or in nature in general. Because on our ocean already romp 5 huge Trash vortex - driven by the ocean currents.
As I have seen for example in my CleanUp Diary in Indonesia described, are Cleanup Balsam for your own soul and the environment. Why not also support a few CleanUps against plastic waste or organize your own CleanUp. In this way, you are both raising awareness and helping to ensure that the beaches in your vacation destination are cleaner.
Come with pleasure to our worldwide Beach CleanUp Group on Facebook and get inspired by other great people.
8. find a garbage free accommodation
Really find sustainable accommodation is difficult - you might think. However, there are more and more good places to go for truly thoughtful and waste saving accommodation.
At bookitgreen the partner accommodations are evaluated for example very detailed after garbage avoidance, recycling ratios and other important factors for a Zero Waste journey. Since I have a partnership with the travel portal, you can use the coupon code CAREBIG Save 20€ on your first trip.
Personally, I also often book myself into AirBnb Homestays and simply ask in advance whether Water filter, W-LAN and other things are available for my Zero Waste trip. If not, I will continue to search for suitable accommodation.
9. no plastic waste on the plane
Admittedly, completely plastic free flight is almost impossible - and flying itself is anything but sustainable. But if there's no other way, you should at least avoid plastic waste on the plane. Through the already mentioned before departure refilled water bottle I already once bypass the garbage through Beverage cup. Also the cutlery set that you bring helps to reduce waste by Disposable cutlery to bypass.
And what about all the in Plastic packaged meals? The only way to avoid them is to eat well beforehand or to pre-cook for the flight. In the case of the latter, you can use your Meals simply transport in the stainless steel can in your hand luggage. This is allowed and a valuable tip for your zero waste trip.
Fortunately, however, the first airlines are already declaring war on disposable plastic waste. (See news article about Air New Zealand)
By the way, you can find on for example arctic.com your Offset CO2 emissions from flights. It's still not sustainable, but it's still better than just flying.
10. cook yourself or eat on site
To-go food generates masses of plastic waste, which unfortunately often ends up as a waste product, especially in developing countries. Plastic waste in the environment end. Try to cook as much as possible yourself on vacation - even on the road. You can transport the food on vacation with the already mentioned stainless steel lunch boxes.
When on vacation, avoid ToGo food from Fastford chains like Subway & McDonald's and prefer local specialties from people who can really put the money to good use.
Need some inspiration for cooking? Then take a look at our Nutrition blog over.
11. take cloth towels with you when you travel
Cloth towels are a real wonder weapon for zero waste travel without plastic waste and paper waste. Because they are well stowable, washable and above all versatile. Use a few of them for example as Fabric handkerchief and some others for transport on the road. Dishes dry and wrap you can also wonderful with the cloth towels.
Even though this tip for zero waste travel seems pretty dusty, it avoids tons of trash on vacation. Learn more about the best tips of our grandparents' generation in the article Lifehacks for a sustainable everyday life.
12. do without souvenirs on vacation
Here an ankle bracelet, there a porcelain figurine. I do without these things on vacation, which are sometimes aggressively thrown at you. Because at home they just end up in some drawer or end up, anything but minimalist, as a Dust catcher on the shelf. Therefore, if I think that the seller really needs the revenue, I prefer to give him a little money.
The Decline of mostly superfluous souvenirs is an important part of the Zero Waste journey and creates a wonderful transition to the next tip for a plastic-free vacation.
Tip: Also take a look at my post about sustainable souvenirs. There you will also learn about the extent to which the purchase of souvenirs Environmental issues and illegal animal trade causes.
13. use the Zero Waste basic rules
There are some basic rules of the Zero Waste lifestyle that are also wonderfully applicable on vacation. In the following, I would like to give you a little inspiration on how to behave during your zero waste trip:
- Reuse: By reusable If you prefer things like stainless steel cutlery and bamboo straws, you're already making an important contribution to your zero waste journey. Avoid disposable products, because they end up in the trash after a single use.
- Borrow: Even on vacation you can Borrow things instead of buying them new. For example, rent a bike to get from A to B sustainably even on vacation.
- Reject: By clearly refusing things like plastic straws or even souvenirs, you avoid a lot of unnecessary waste on vacation. If you order a drink, simply say in advance that you would like it without a straw. Maybe the operator has already switched to bamboo straws or glass straws.
- Reduce: Think minimalist and especially reduce your luggage to the things you really need. Buy only the things that are absolutely necessary. Reducing is an extremely important part of the Zero Waste journey.
I hope that these rules of conduct will support you in your journey as plastic-free as possible.
Is a Zero Waste journey possible?
As you can see, a largely waste-free trip is absolutely possible. As always, it's helpful not to see the term "zero" waste as an extreme, but rather as a common goal. That way, we all learn little by little how to travel plastic-free and save lots of trash. Without completely bending and losing the desire to travel, by the way. That should not go unmentioned 😉.
Do you have any questions or experiences with the Zero Waste journey that you would like to share? Then I look forward to your message under this article.
Stay clean and save travels,
PS: Do you already know if you will travel alone or with a travel buddy? If not, I recommend the following two articles: Travel alone & Travel for two.
PPS: Want to learn more about plastic-free everyday life? Then I recommend you my Online Course 30 Days to Zero Wastewhich leads you step by step to significantly less waste in 30 days. Have fun!
Hello Christoph,
I think your commitment to a clean environment is great. I bought your book "Plastic Free for Beginners" because I've been trying to reduce plastic waste for some time now. It's not that easy, especially with sausage and cheese, or even dog food. When I go to the local supermarket, I sometimes have the feeling of being looked at strangely because I always try to buy only fruits and vegetables without plastic packaging. But in the end it always comes down to a compromise.
One more question, can I join the community even if I am not on Facebook?
Many greetings
Sabine
Hello Sabine! Thank you for your feedback and your positive attitude. On the subject Buy cheese & sausage without plastic I have just written a detailed post that will surely help you.
The community is so far only on Facebook, but you are also welcome here the download free e-book "Get rid of the garbage or at my Online Course 30 Days To Zero Waste participate to learn more about making everyday life as plastic-free as possible.
Continued success and best regards
Christoph
PS.: It's not bad if you compromise. It's better to reach your goal slowly than to stand still. And the "funny looks" will subside in the next few years. Then those who still walk around with plastic bags will be looked at strangely 😉
Hey Christoph,
this is a very good summary for plastic-free travel. I have only noticed that unused, packaged cutlery is also thrown away during air travel. I always take the cutlery with me and use it differently at some point.
Hello Julian! Thank you for your feedback and your attitude. Yes, unfortunately this is a big problem. Disposable cutlery on the plane is thrown away anyway... good that you make the best of it.
Many greetings
Christoph
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