All geared up for your next holiday already? Before you fly, why not switch your typical travel essentials to their more sustainable counterpart? Not only are they equally convenient, they’re healthier for the environment – and you!
Check out our top picks for an easy green travel.
Reef Safe Sunscreen
While scuba diving and snorkeling is a great way to explore coral reefs, we might be harming them with our sunscreen! Typical sunscreens contain oxybenzone and octinoxate, nano-sized chemicals which cause coral bleaching and render them easily susceptible to infection.
Look out for “reef-safe” certified sunscreens with keywords such as “oxybenzone-free” and “octinoxate-free” – these contain alternative ingredients such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which have larger than “nano-sized” molecules to avoid ingestion by corals!
Packing Cubes
When it comes to packing your clothes, make zip-lock bags a thing of the past with packing cubes. Made of tough yet foldable fabric, waterproof options also make it perfect to keep items such as wet swimsuits or toiletries.
For the busy businessman, some come with a garment board to fold and keep pressed shirts wrinkle-free. How neat (literally) is that?
DEET-FREE Insect Repellent
Insect repellents are essential for tropical holidays.
Chemical sprays with DEET are said to be the most effective way to repel bugs, but they take a long time to break down in the soil, and can persistently be found in our groundwater and drinking supply.
Try organic sprays containing ingredients such as citronella, lemongrass or peppermint which work just as well!
Reusable make-up cloth pads
Made of non-biodegradable materials such as polyester, make-up wipes take up to 100 years to decompose in our landfills and are major culprits for clogging up our sewage systems.
Ditch them altogether with reusable options! From microfiber to muslin cloths, not only can they replace up to 500 single-use make-up wipes, some have gentle exfoliating capabilities.
Keep both your skin and the environment healthy and clean!
Upcycled Travel Bags
In need of a carry-on travel bag checks all the right boxes? Look no further! Companies are getting more inventive by the day, producing bags made from old plastic bottles, bike tubes, and kitesurf sails.
They are durable, rain proof, have built-in laptop compartments and ample waist support – atop of the added benefit of being sustainably produced!
Solar Power Charger
Instead of a regular ol’ portable charger, harness the natural energy of the sun to charge your mobile phone!
Meant for the great outdoors, these chargers are comparably safer to regular chargers as they are shock proof and water resistant – just loop it around your backpack to charge it on the go!
Portable Water Filtration
In countries where tap water may not be safe to drink, many of us are quick to spend a buck on bottled water. Reusable water bottles with straws that double as a water filtration device are a clever way to reduce such plastic pollution by turning a raw water supply into clean drinking water!
Just dip the straw into any water source and sip away!
Silicon Toiletry Bottles
Swap out plastic bottles for ones that you can reuse every vacation! 100% BPA-free, PC-free, and Phthalate-free, these come in different sizes and in clear colours to get through security without a hitch.
Want to go the extra mile? Check out the travel-sized solid shampoos (and other daily essentials) we introduced into our previous guide to #zerowaste products!
