With this year’s flurry of summer trips coming to an end this weekend, I’ve been looking back at what I’ve learned over these past few months about trying to stay zero waste while travelling (or as low waste as possible, anyway). Keeping on top of something that always requires you to be that little bit more prepared is always more difficult when you’re living out of a suitcase- but with everything from an Orcadian field trip to a very windy camping weekend and a huge international conference under my belt, I feel like I’ve finally cracked it. I’m not saying that this little kit entirely eliminates all single-use stuff while I’m away- but for me, it strikes the right balance between seriously reducing my waste footprint and not feeling like I’m carrying around everything but the kitchen sink.
Herewith, the chosen ones:
(1) REUSEABLE COFFEE CUP
Let’s start with the thing that gets the most heavy use. Academics famously live on their coffee, so this not only comes in handy for all those I-had-to-be-up-at-4am-to-catch-this-train mornings, but will also mean that you’re covered if the particular hotel/conference you’re going to has a rubbish waste policy and is still issuing single-use cups. Fill it with tea, coffee, water, orange juice, whatever- and imagine how smug you’ll feel waltzing around the hotel/conference centre while everyone eyes your sturdy drinking vessel with envy. I’ve even used mine at evening drinks receptions – I’ll admit that drinking white wine out of the equivalent of an adult sippy-cup felt a little strange, but it probably triggered the highest amount of conversations on plastic waste I’ve had in a single evening.
Incidentally, by virtue of being tough and spill-proof, these cups also make great pieces of tupperware. Win-win.
(2) REUSEABLE WATER BOTTLE
I’ll admit that I hadn’t actually tried this thing about taking an empty water bottle through airport security to refill on the other side until very recently. I’m happy to report, however, that so far I’ve had absolutely no trouble doing this, and that it’s always been pretty straightforward to find a refill station on the other side. Different airports will have different procedures, of course, but you’re usually fine if you just take your empty water bottle out alongside your laptop and other electronics. Once its airport duties are over, my swell bottle of dreams comes with me on hikes, trips to the pool and long days sightseeing- saving the planet and saving me money at the same time.
(3) TUPPERWARE
Probably the thing that I forget the most and subsequently the thing I always find myself wishing I had brought. A small tupperware is perfect for taking away leftovers (thus eliminating the need for pizza boxes and such), and minimising the waste from your packed lunches. As a coeliac I almost always end up carrying around some sort of emergency sandwich in case I can’t find anywhere that can cater for me- having a tupperware in tow means that I can do so without the need for foil or clingfilm. Plus, it means that if you come across any zero-waste nirvanas – like the absolute dreamboat that is the Good Life, which I recently came across in Stockport- you can fill your boots.
(4) COTTON BAG
For obvious reasons, and also to act as a produce bag for veggies, fruit, pastries and what have you from markets and bakeries and such. Always have a couple of stashed away in a suitcase or backpack.
(5) NAPKIN
Like the reusable coffee cup, a jack of all trades. For wrapping sandwiches and leftover pizza, cleaning tupperware and keep cups, snaffling away bunches of grapes that were left over from the catering, wiping my bike seat, and occasionally wiping away tears at weddings… Sometimes it even gets used as a napkin 😏. The one shown here has the added bonus of huskies printed on it, which has increased my love for it exponentially.
(6) DECANTED TOILETRIES
Not an item, per se, but something to bear in mind. It’s really easy to avoid all the waste generated by buying new travel-sized toiletries every time you travel by just holding on to a couple of small bottles and decanting from your big ones. I have a couple of ex-hotel miniatures shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and sun cream. You’ll wonder how they ever convinced you to buy a new one every time in the first place.
And that’s it! Like I said, bringing these things with me by no means makes me perfect. One would only have to look at the pile of plastic chocolate bar wrappers generated during a particularly intense work trip to know that I definitely don’t manage to stay completely zero waste while travelling. As so often with these things, it’s about trying to do what we can, celebrating the small victories and not worrying too much if you get caught out. Safe travels.
