Let's travel without plastic!
No, this is not the article to tell you everything you do wrong but a door to the future of our travels, more aware of the environment and the planet.
Let's be responsible We cannot change the world in a day but with small changes in our habits we can do great things. It is difficult not to be overwhelmed by the amount of plastics that we throw into the sea or those that we use on a daily basis. Is it possible to know? Yes, with the plastic calculator created by Greenpeace you will be able to know how much plastic you generate per year... It is a great initiative to start raising awareness.
As for our trips, it is also the time to do introspection, as he said New York Times : “Flying is bad for our planet” .
I would clarify by saying, flying in these conditions is bad for the planet. Why? The round trip flight from New York to San Francisco alone emits about 0.9 metric tons of carbon dioxide per person. That equates to roughly one-eighth of the average Americans' carbon emissions per year.
And you, what kind of traveler are you?
For Greenpeace this has a solution and it happens because airlines start using reusable containers. “Both to accumulate drinking water in large tanks and then distribute that water to travelers in thermos bottles or similar, as well as using reusable cups, which, like restaurant tableware, are washed at the end of each trip and that would come with the catering of the airplanes”, they point out to Traveler.es.
How many times a day do we see a news about plastic pollution? Paradisiacal beaches littered by thousands of bottles , animals that swallow or get entangled in tides of plastic, and even plastic islands larger than France .
Every year they come to the sea (to our sea, the one we love so much and enjoy on vacation) 12 tons of garbage. In Spain, for example we only recycle 30% of that garbage while Norway is already at 90%. Let's take note.
Taking into account that A bottle of water takes 500 years to disintegrate. Don't you think it's time to act? We don't wait for governments to act... What can we do on our trips to reduce plastic consumption ?
DO NOT BUY PLASTIC BOTTLES
The first commandment that you must tattoo on your mind is this: Stop buying plastic bottled water. Use to travel the canteen of a lifetime, a thermos or a reusable container.
When you travel you will only have to fill it at the hotel or where the water is drinkable. In Colectivo Hola Eco they presented the story of Ale and Agustín de Vaya Consumismo who have been traveling for a year and have achieved reduce the consumption of plastic on your trips.
They they have achieved it by always carrying their bottle with them . It is worth keeping track of them to learn to be more responsible.
SAY NO TO DISPOSABLE UTENSILS
We are sure that you would remember the last time you used plastic plates, straws, Forks … You can say no! To this type of utensils, establishments that sell them and you can take with you a traveler's kit with forks and items that are not disposable.
In Patri and Fer's blog, Live without plastic, they tell you how.
DO NOT BUY FRUIT OR PACKAGED FOODS
When you travel you need to buy food for your day to day, you can do it without having to buy canned fruit, it really is possible as long as you plan it.
Reuse bags you have or get a cloth one to go shopping. For greenpeace you can travel without leaving a mark, “especially in places where even the culture and policies are much more advanced than in our country, in terms of consumption and environmental protection. But everywhere we can apply common sense and sustainability in our purchases and habits”.
If your trip is going to be long, you can take into account those stores where they sell in bulk, or in the traditional greengrocers and markets where fruit and vegetables are free of plastic. There is nothing more sustainable than buying like this.
GET A GROOMING KIT THAT LASTS FOREVER
Razors, toothpaste containers, toothbrushes, creams, compresses, shampoo bottles... Have you ever wondered how you can avoid them?
In Plan b Traveler they have prepared a list of personal hygiene products that we can make ourselves to travel and consume at home.
We know that you love hotel amenities, but we have to start saying no to so much irresponsible consumption . For example, going to those hotels that care about putting a single dispenser for soap or simply learn to complain
Also you can bet on buying those products that you use regularly so that they last , for example in Without Plastic they sell bamboo toothbrushes either soap bars to avoid plastic bottles.
RECYCLE AND STOP BEING SO CONSUMER
Recycling is not the only possible option to reduce plastics in our travels and our daily lives, but if you consume, recycle.
“It is essential reduce consumption and be more responsible with what we buy. You don't have to overeat to be happy. nor have a good quality of life”, they add to Traveler.es from Greenpeace.
You can change the plastic for glass, cardboard paper, potato starch, corn, etc., but the best option is change the throwaway model.
If you never want to see an image of a seahorse holding a stick again, it's time for you to act. Join the global movement **Break Free From Plastic. **