{"id":21158,"date":"2020-08-16T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-16T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=21158"},"modified":"2025-03-05T17:53:40","modified_gmt":"2025-03-05T16:53:40","slug":"ways-to-reduce-waste-while-travelling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/ways-to-reduce-waste-while-travelling\/","title":{"rendered":"7 easy ways to reduce waste while travelling"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

So you’ve probably heard the mantra ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’, and know how to reduce your waste at home – but what about when you travel? It\u2019s easy to fall into the trap of disposable food containers and plastic water bottles when we travel – but it\u2019s just as easy to make new greener habits on our trips. To celebrate Keep Australia Beautiful Week from 17-23 August, here are 7 simple ways to reduce your waste while travelling.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

And remember – being an eco-friendly traveller may take a little work, but if it helps preserve our beloved destinations for centuries to come, it\u2019s all worth it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

1. Go for reusable containers<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\"reusable<\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Single-use plastics such as bags, bottles, straws, utensils and wrappers are incredibly damaging for the environment. They take centuries to break down, and before they do, they release toxic chemicals into the land or end up in the stomachs of animals, causing great harm to many precious species.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Plastic is everywhere too. A recent study<\/a> even found a plastic bag in the Mariana Trench – the deepest point in the ocean – at a whopping 10,975 metres beneath the ocean’s surface. Of all the debris found in the trench, 89 per cent were single-use plastics like water bottles and disposable utensils.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Travellers contribute to a big chunk of this plastic waste. The good news is that you can easily take steps to drastically minimise this. One of the best ways to reduce waste is to use reusable containers like canvas or cotton bags, reusable coffee mugs and water bottles, food containers, straws and utensils.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Get in the habit of always bringing a small reusable bag with you so you never have to accept a plastic bag from a store, and if you\u2019re buying souvenirs, try to avoid any plastic wrappers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

As for drinking water, always try to refill your own bottle. If you can\u2019t drink the tap water in your destination, look for water refill stations in hotels, restaurants and airports. Not only will you be reducing waste, but you\u2019ll also be saving some money with these tips!\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

RELATED CONTENT: 7 ways to reduce your environmental impact when you travel with Trafalgar<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

2. Swap out your toiletries for zero waste alternatives<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
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Do you carry a lot of toiletries when you travel? Shampoo, shower gel, moisturiser, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, razors, skin products, makeup and more\u2026 it all creates a lot of waste that ends up in landfill or the ocean.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Many products, like scrubs and toothpaste, are also filled with tiny, harmful microplastics <\/a>or microbeads that end up in the ocean and are easily absorbed into the food chain, so do yourself – and the environment – a favour by looking for plastic-free and zero waste alternatives for your essentials.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Here are some of the best ways to reduce waste with our toiletries:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n