The Sustainable Suitcase: packing with the planet in mind
Guyanne Sinon offers some tips on how to pack and travel more sustainably.
Shopping has become synonymous with holiday preparations. From new bikinis for the beach holiday or new shoes for the city break, it is all too easy to indulge in crafting the perfect outfit. Such holiday shopping does not stop at clothes – with travel size products or an overpriced neck pillow, temptations lie everywhere! Yet all of this overpacking can negatively impact the environment and fuel extravagant habits. Although travelling is not likely to feature in your agenda anytime soon, here are some tips to pack more sustainably and limit your amount of waste when the time comes around to travel again:
Tip 1: Use reusable travel containers
Instead of repeatedly buying mini travel-size products or lugging around your full-size makeup, why not buy a set of travel containers? This way you can have all your necessary products without needing to throw away lots of small plastic containers at the end of your holiday. You can also buy solid beauty products with little-to-no packaging.
Tip 2: Travel with a reusable water bottle
Using a reusable water bottle is not only environmentally friendly but can end up saving you money. By refilling your bottle, you won’t be wasting your money on disposable and polluting plastic bottles. Depending on where and how you are travelling, you will often find water-refill stations and public water fountains dotted around – or simply ask restaurants and cafes whether they offer free tap water.
Tip 3: Plan and limit your outfits
Ladies and gents – we are not on Love Island. We don’t need to do two or three outfit changes a day. Take it from personal experience: you don’t need eight bikinis and five sunglasses for a four-day beach trip! While planning your outfits in advance may take longer than your usual pack-and-dash routine, you will find yourself with a much lighter load by only bringing the essentials. Packing in advance also has the added benefit of time and consideration, making you less likely to buy unnecessary items for the trip. Finally, the dreaded weight restrictions on your luggage will no longer be a concern, enabling you to bring back cherished souvenirs.
Tip 4: Bring extra wet or dry bags
Whether you’ve got a damp towel, muddy trainers or just smelly clothes, it’s useful to carry an extra bag designed for storing wet clothes or keeping items dry. Rather than leaving or dumping unwanted items on your trip, you can bring them back home and restore them to their former brilliance.
Tip 5: Use digital readers
I know we all love a good book or a cheeky magazine on holiday, but using a tablet or even a phone to read books and the news reduces the amount of paper consumed drastically. Books and magazines are not the only culprits; if you find yourself hoarding paper maps, leaflets and guidebooks, it may be worth investigating a whole catalogue of apps and online material to make your journey as enjoyable and sustainable as possible.
Once you are all packed for your next trip, double-check that you have everything you need for your destination through this foreign travel checklist (see, we are already implementing Tip 3!). To find out travel information such as safety and security considerations, entry requirements, and local laws and customs please visit country-specific FCO Travel Advice pages. Also, follow @TravelAware for information on travel safety and @FCOTravel for up-to-date travel notifications.