Intro

Bringing reusable products along with your adventures is a simple and effective way to cut back on excess waste. The concept of sustainable travel has many obstacles, including some bigger barriers that feel out of our control. But by having the opportunity to purchase reusables, you can make a difference (even if it is considered small) to reduce the amount of disposable products being wasted. It is important that we remember there is no such thing as “throwing away.” This is certainly not an exhaustive list but these are some items that are small, easy to pack and simple that most people should take with them when they travel.

Reusable Products to Carry to Promote Sustainable Travel

Swap Disposable Toiletries For Reusable Bottles (Or Solid Products) 

This one might seem obvious to some but for others, it hasn’t been considered. The more I have traveled, the more I have noticed that I actually do not use very much product. I used to buy the travel sizes of my favorite products and carry them around. But I quickly realized that they began to get clunky. They were taking up a lot of room and I wasn’t even using it all. So I decided to get reusable travel bottles and they were great except that they still felt too big. I was not using that much product. So then I found even smaller bottles and they work so much better. I am able to carry a more reasonable size of shampoo, conditioner and lotions. Now I no longer buy travel sized bottles that end up in the landfill.

If you’re able to take it up a notch, you can even go one step further and try to avoid liquids altogether. You can get shampoo and conditioner bars, soap bars and even toothpaste tablets. I personally bring soap bars as my body wash and now that I’ve been using them for several years, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Why did I use plastic bottled body wash to begin with? Soap bars just make more sense. I have even made my own toothpaste tablets. They aren’t the greatest, but they are doable. Consider your travel habits and what you need to take with you. Take a moment to think about your travel style and patterns and make appropriate toiletry swaps from there. 

Swap Plastic Bag For Reusable Grocery Bag

Bringing a reusable grocery bag is a great product for when you travel. Not only can you use it for what its intended purpose is, but you could even use it as a way to separate your dirty clothes. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone to a store and ended up buying more than I planned for and then I end up having to purchase a bag. Depending where you travel to, some stores aren’t even providing paper or plastic bags anymore. This makes a reusable grocery bag all the more important to add to your luggage. 

Swap Ziploc For Reusable Sandwich Bags or Beeswax Wraps

I absolutely hate Ziploc bags and I refuse to buy them. My parents would buy them all the time growing up and I never understood why we would use so many. They have always felt completely pointless to me and it’s honestly really easy to not use them period. I have began taking with me reusable sandwich bags when I travel and it’s been a big game changer for me.

I personally like to try and meal prep when I have an accommodation with a kitchen to save some cash. It usually ends up just being a sandwich and some fruit but hey, it gets the job done. The reusable bags end up working great when I’m taking food on the go. I also use them to store my phone, keys and any important personal items when I’m on a boat or near water to protect them in case of a water emergency. 

You could also bring beeswax wraps and they would also work great. You can even make beeswax wraps at home easily. I haven’t tried it yet myself but it’s certainly on my radar. While I wouldn’t recommend using beeswax for anything wet like fruit, they are great to wrap sandwiches and baked goods in. Both are super simple, cost-effective in the long run and best of all, don’t end up in a landfill.

Swap Bottled Water For Reusable Water Bottle

I thought this would be a more obvious option until I began noticing how many people actually don’t travel with water bottles. In Oregon, where I’m from, almost everyone has a water bottle. So I was shocked to learn that not all states hold the same standard. Buying a water bottle is incredibly easy to get and they are cost effective over time. Depending on where you go, the price to pay for a disposable bottle of water will add up fast versus a one time purchase that you can take everywhere you go. 

Granted, in some places that you may travel to, you might have to carry with you iodine pills or a Steripen or other water filtration/purifier to allow you to drink the water safely. And in some places it may not be safe for you to drink the tap water in which case you have to resort to plastic bottles of water. When in doubt, prioritize your safety and use a reusable water bottle when you can.

Swap Tampons for Menstrual Cup

This has been one of the greatest reusable products I have gotten. I have been using a menstrual cup for years and I will be a loyal customer forever. It can’t be stressed enough how amazing it is to not have to pack a box of tampons or pads when I travel. I still bring a few tampons as a precaution and in case I run into someone who needs one. But I have not only saved so much packing room by using a menstrual cup but I have also prevented so many tampons from being thrown away. I will admit that it took me about a year from when I bought it to finally get the courage to try it. Once I did though, it made camping, road trips and airplane travel so much easier.

Alternatively, you can get reusable cotton pads if you don’t feel comfortable using a menstrual cup. They just might require some extra care to make them last longer. 

Conclusion

By now you should have a better sense of what you could potentially swap out for when you travel to make your future travels a little more green and eco friendly. Is this a fix-all? No, far from it. But it does give us consumers some control on what we want our future traveling and really lifestyles in general to look like. There has never been such a thing as throwing something away. Garbage becomes pollution and that pollution inevitably comes back to hurt us. The more we prioritize reusable products that work and actually last a long time, the better off our travels and the planet will be.