Travelling Mindfully
In the past couple of months, I’ve come to the realisation that we won't be able to completely revert what we have already done to the Earth, but we might be able to save it if we change some of our habits. I've put down some things that we can all do to do our bit to save Mother Earth especially when we travel.
1. Travel with a reusable coffee cup.
I bought my KeepCup because I wanted to use fewer coffee cups when I’m out and about. Not only do I save the environment but I also get to keep some money too. A lot of coffee shops offer you a discount towards your coffee but it also prevents you from spending more money as you don’t have the convenience of buying to collect (like you can on the Starbucks app) which makes you think twice about that coffee. My KeepCup is a perfect size because it fits in my travel bag so I can have it with me as I sightsee and it’s easy to wash.
I also have a reusable container for my water. I have a S'well bottle which keeps cold things cold for 24 hours and hot things hot for 12 so it’s great for long journeys. I also love this one as opposed to imitations because of the cause behind it.
Again by using a refillable container, you save money (have you seen the prices of water at the airport???)
2. Travel with a reusable bag.
When the 10p charge on plastic bags came into play I didn’t think much of it. I continued using them - getting a bag and just paying the 10p. But ever since I watched David Attenborough's Blue Planet and saw the bigger problem with plastic. How it's affecting ocean life, I knew I had to make some big changes. I now carry my reusable bag with me all the time. It fits the grocery shop that I tend to get and it's small enough to fit in any bag when folded so I don't have an excuse to not have it with me all the time.
3. Pick up some litter from the sea
With the weather looking better, the seaside sees more people which is great. We all want to be able to cool down and enjoy the summer. However - the amount of plastic that ends up being there makes the place unattractive but most importantly that gets taken by the tide to the sea where it causes more issues. Can I ask, and this is a big ask, that when you head for your walk along the beach and you see some litter, pick it up? Even if it's one plastic or 3, pick it up and bin it. That will be 3 fewer pieces of plastic littering the ocean and if we all did it, then our world will become a better place.
4. Reuse your security plastic
If you’re a frequent flier you’ll know how the security at the airport can be a bit stressful if you have liquids over 100ml and leave them in your bag. We’re all now used to the travel sized toiletries that we pop into our hand luggage and then when we get to the airport we put it all into a clear plastic bag ready for security checks. That clear plastic bag, some of us have tendencies to take one every time we fly (I know I was very guilty of this). But can I encourage you to just use that one? If you have decided that the set of toiletries that you have are the ones that you need whenever you travel, then keep them as they are. It makes it easier for you to pack for next time because all you have to do is just pop that into your bag every time you travel. And then when it’s had enough - then recycle it.
It's important to save our planet. Otherwise, there won't be a planet to travel to and I'm sure our children will not be impressed.
Do you have more tips on what we can do to make our travel sustainable? Let's talk about it in the comments!
Till next time
X
Because they say sharing is caring :)