Zero Waste Travel – 13 Tips For A Plasticfree Vacation Without Waste

Would you like to stay plastic-free on your next vacation and go on a zero waste trip? Then you've come to the right place! Whether plastic bottles, plastic bags, food packaging or travel tickets, whether Bali, Brazil or Belgium: Experience has shown that a lot of waste is produced when traveling, which often remains in the environment.

Above all, our plastic waste is not biodegradable and only decomposes over the course of centuries into smaller plastic waste. Microplastics. However, the danger posed by plastic to nature, wildlife and us humans will remain forever. Fortunately, we can all do something about it by simple means!

In this article, I'll show you how you can master a zero waste journey in practice. Let's go!

13 tips for your Zero Waste journey

There are of course hundreds of ways to live more plastic free. But here I would like to focus primarily on the opportunities that you especially on vacation have. So let's not waste any time, because I'm sure your next vacation is already being planned 🙂

Simply use the following tips to travel in line with the zero waste lifestyle from now on.

1. take your own drinking bottle with you when traveling

Unfortunately, a deposit system for drinks bottles is almost only available in Germany these days. This means that regardless of where you are, you have directly produces wasteas soon as you have finished your water from the plastic bottle you bought.

The alternative is to own Drinking bottle. You can, for example Fill up directly after the checkpoint at the airport and save yourself the plastic cup on the plane. In many countries, tap water is also safe to drink, so you produce significantly less waste.

And if not? In Bali, for example, I have the App "Refill Bali" to have my bottle refilled free of charge. Many restaurants and cafés there take part in this program to avoid plastic waste. Many accommodations also have a Integrated water filter on the tapwith which you can easily refill your bottle in your accommodation before you start your travel activities.

This stainless steel drinking bottle* I can warmly recommend it to you! But maybe you also like such Glass bottles with swing top* rather. Just give it a try!

2. pack solid care products

Of course, cosmetic products also generate a lot of plastic waste when traveling. Replace Shower gel, shampoo and co. therefore simply by solid natural bar soaps! They can usually even be used for both skin and hair care.

And if the soap has become damp on vacation, you can use it transport in a small tin can in the toiletry bag.

This natural bar soap* and this soap box* I always use it when traveling.

3. take jute bags & vegetable nets with you

What for the plastic free shopping in Germany is of course also very important for your Zero Waste journey! Simply take a reusable Jute bags and a few vegetable nets if you like with you on vacation.

This way, you can pick mushrooms, tomatoes and all other vegetables on the go. Getting food without waste by using disposable bags. The bags are eternally reusable, lightweight and easy to store in your suitcase.

Such jute bags* and these Fruit and vegetable nets* are in my opinion an absolute must for every zero waste trip.

4. be out and about with reusable cutlery

As I have said so often here in the Nature Travel Blog mentioned, even on vacation you can't get by without the Zero Waste Basic Equipment from. In addition to lunch boxes and jute bags, this also includes the reusable cutlery!

Although you will find reusable stainless steel knives, forks and spoons in most accommodation, the waste problem with plastic cutlery usually starts with the food itself in the airplane. And on the road during the day trips you want to eat something.

This cutlery set* can make an important contribution to your zero waste journey. It will also help you to eat home-made food transported in your lunchbox on the go without waste.

Alternatively, I can also offer you this versatile "spork "* recommend 😉

5. replace paper digitally, even when traveling

Whether through packaging or tickets: 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.

You don't need to lug around a huge atlas either. Because 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 means you can take hundreds of books with you on vacation at once and still not have any extra weight on board. Another valuable step for sustainable travel.

Tip: If you could use some reading inspiration for the beach or the hammock in your accommodation, be sure to check out the best Books about sustainability an.

6. take lunch boxes and oilcloths with you

By creating your own containers or even plastic-free Oilcloths with you on vacation, you save yourself, among other things, the Waste from cling film or other disposable packaging one.

Simply fill your food for on the go into the Lunchbox and enjoy it on your next day trip. This will also help you avoid waste from spontaneous to-go meals. In addition, the Oilcloths washable and reusable - and keep solid meals such as sandwiches fresh for a long time.

This stainless steel lunch box* and these vegan oilcloths* work perfectly!

7. do a CleanUp on the vacation beach

For me personally, of course, a zero waste trip also includes, something against the plastic waste already in the sea or in nature in general. After all, our ocean is home to five huge Trash vortexdriven by the ocean currents. They do not disappear on their own.

As I have seen for example in my CleanUp diary from Indonesia described, are Clean-up campaigns Balm for your own soul and the environment. Why don't you support a few Waste collection campaigns on vacation or organize your own CleanUp against plastic waste, where locals and tourists will help you.

In this way, you can both raise awareness and help make the beaches in your vacation destination cleaner. You are welcome to join our worldwide Beach CleanUp Group on Facebook, share your actions and let yourself be inspired by other great people.

8. search specifically for waste-free accommodation

Really find sustainable travel accommodation is difficult - you might think. However, there are more and more good places to go for really thoughtful and waste saving accommodation. Whether on large or small travel portals, you can find them quite quickly using filter functions or by asking the providers.

Personally, I also usually book myself in AirBnb Homestays (click on the link to secure up to 50€ discount on your first trip). I always ask in advance whether Crockery, cutlery, water filter, W-LAN and other things are available for my Zero Waste trip, if it is not already directly visible in the advertisement.

9. avoid plastic waste on the plane as much as possible

Admittedly, a completely plastic free flight is almost impossible - and flying itself is of course anything but sustainable. But if there's no other way, you can also CO2 compensation at least tryto avoid your plastic waste on the plane.

Due to the already mentioned before departure filled Drinking bottle* you avoid the garbage caused by drinks cups. You can also use the Cutlery set* as well as the Stainless steel can* brought along solid Foods (e.g. homemade muesli bars and cookies or a sandwich) help to reduce the amount of disposable waste that our Disposable society symbolizes, to circumvent.

10. cook yourself or eat on site in the restaurant

Through ToGo Food This generates masses of plastic waste, which unfortunately often ends up as waste, especially in developing countries. Plastic waste in the environment end.

Whether you traveled alone or rather the Prefer a vacation with several people: By going on vacation cook as much as possible yourself - also for on the go - you reduce your waste significantly.

It is best to make sure that you have a Kitchen in your accommodation have and cook yourself meals for the day with fresh food. So you create less plastic waste and you also avoid food waste. You can then transport the food again with the already recommended Stainless steel lunch boxes*.

In principle, however, I would also advise you to do this, in the local restaurants of your travel destination and rare ToGo to eat. Because there you can get to know the authentic local cuisine without producing waste.

11. take cloth towels with you when you travel

Cloth wipes are a real miracle weapon for the zero waste journey without plastic and paper waste. After all, they are good stowable, washable and above all versatile. Use a few of them for example as Fabric handkerchief and others for the safe transportation of fragile objects or for drying dishes.

These cloths* I can absolutely recommend it.

Tip: Even if this tip for zero waste travel may seem rather outdated, it still avoids a huge amount of waste. You can find out more about the best tips from our grandparents' generation in the article Lifehacks for a sustainable everyday life.

12. give up vacation souvenirs

An anklet here, a porcelain figurine there and then a T-shirt with the name of the destination printed on it. I do without these things on vacation, which are often aggressively thrown at you.

And when they get home, they just end up in some Drawer or end, anything but minimalist, as Dust catcher on the shelf or in the Waste garbage can. Only buy what you really need - and support people with a little money instead of producing unnecessary waste.

Tip: Please also take a look at my article about sustainable souvenirs. There you can find out to what extent the purchase of souvenirs Environmental issues or illegal animal trade.

13. follow the Zero Waste basic rules

There are some Basic rules of the Zero Waste lifestylewhich you can of course also use on vacation. In the following, I would therefore like to give you a little inspiration for Waste-avoiding mindset and behavior on your Zero Waste journey:

• Reuse: By reusable If you prefer things like stainless steel cutlery and bamboo straws, you are already making an important contribution to your zero waste journey. Avoid disposable products wherever possible, as they end up in the bin after a single use.
• Borrow: Even on vacation you can Borrow things instead of buying them new. Borrow a bike, for example, to get from A to B in an environmentally friendly way.
• Reject: By clearly refusing things like plastic straws in restaurants 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. And perhaps the establishment has already switched to bamboo straws or glass straws.
• Reduce: Think minimalist and, above all, reduce your luggage to the things you really need. And only buy the things that are absolutely necessary. Reducing is an extremely important part of the zero waste journey.

Is a zero waste trip possible? Definitely!

As you can see, a largely waste-free journey is absolutely possible! You just need to tweak your habits a bit 🙂

As always, it is helpful not to see the term "ZERO waste" as perfectionist or extreme, but rather as a common long-term goal. We are all gradually learning how we can travel plastic-free and save a lot of waste. Quite without bending completely or lose the desire to travel. This should not go unmentioned!

"Take only memories, leave only footprints."

Chief Seattle (more at Travel quotes)

Do you have any questions, suggestions or your own 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: Avoiding waste eventually becomes second nature - and is of course not the main purpose of a trip! The main reason we set off is because we get to know foreign cultures while traveling and want to experience unique nature. You can now find out how to really travel consciously in the linked blog article.