Whilst everyone else back home is attempting plastic free July, I’m currently interrailing around Europe so I thought that a post about good alternatives for traveling would be pretty applicable. Travelling can be one of the hardest times to be conscious about your personal impact on the environment. In many popular tourist destinations it’s plastic straw galore and every shop is packed full of chilled plastic water. So here are a few ideas for trying to be a little more environmentally friendly on your travels…
1. Shampoo and conditioner bars
I’ve always been skeptical about shampoo and conditioning bars. I have very very thick hair that has a nice amount of length to it. I’m basically a hair dressers nightmare. I go through lots of shampoo and conditioners, and with that comes lots of plastic bottles. For my interailing trip I decided to take the plunge and give shampoo and conditioner bars a go to save space in my bag and make a small contribution to saving the planet. I opted for Lush bars, which you can get handy little tins for. They last so much longer than regular bottles of shampoo and conditioner and they me lots of space in my bag. The best part is though, they mean one less plastic bottle!
2. The safety razor
This was a big step for me, and I promise I’ll write an in-depth post for all the ladies out there looking to make the change once I’m back from traveling. In short, I was hesitant at first to give up my disposables for a big scary razor and I even had to get my boyfriend to show me how to use it. But in terms of traveling it’s perfect! It can be pulled apart to put in bags, it works really efficiently (especially for those ladies in need of perfectly smooth legs for all your summery outfits). And the best bit of all? No plastic razors! It does come with one downside, and that is that you need to put the blades in your checked in luggage or you’ll have some issues with security.
3. The reusable bottle
Reusable bottles are a god send in any situation- especially travelling. I used my reusable bottle every day for the first 2 weeks of my trip, just as I did at home. That was until an unfortunate accident happened where it fell out of by bag and rolled under the bus I was just getting on. I’m now clutching to a plastic bottle in hopes I can make it last me the entire trip, as I get plastic guilt when it comes to drinks bottles. A reusable bottle abroad also saves you lots of money on water as you don’t have to pay ridiculous prices in tourist areas! I recommend Klean kanteen or Swell.
4. The reusable tote bag
I take my tote bag everywhere with me, whether I’m at home or away. Whilst I’m travelling I tend to have my day back pack on all the time, and it’s usually jam packed full of what I’ll need for the day. This means I struggle some days to fit other things in my bag, especially when we decide to cook in the hostel and have to bring groceries back or if I buy lots of souvenirs for the day. A little tote bag is perfect, handy and doesn’t take up too much room, plus it means one less plastic carrier bag needed!
5. Ecofriendly travel wash
Travelling for a month means lots of dirty clothing, which can be especially hard when the hostels you’re in lack a washing machine or you only have a few stinky things to wash and can’t justify a full cycle wash for so little. ‘Lifeeventure All Purpose Soap’ and ‘Dr Bronners 18 in One Biodegradable Soap’ are both perfect for washing you clothes and cleaning you too!
Here are just a few easy ideas for a more environmentally friendly trip. This is just a small selection of the vast amount of things you could do, but a little goes a long way and these are just a few of the things that I’m doing on my current trip. Happy travels!
Until next time
Cate x
The tiny conservationist 
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