Everyone has seen plenty of ‘do not litter’ signs and all that stuff, so many of us got used to the idea that if we throw trash in a bin, we’re all good. As years of research have shown, our planet is far from good even if everyone on Earth stops littering.
The amount of waste produced by humans has reached significant volumes for a reason. People got used to the comfort of single-use items they can throw away and forget about. The same refers to mindless spending of resources. It’s especially relevant for travellers.
Have you already packed your bags with single-use products, wet wipes, tissues — the stuff you’ll use and just trash away? It is better for the environment and your future to just choose the reusable option. But with the studies and exams coming right before the break there might just not be enough time. You can just google ‘need help from paper writing service EssayPro’ and get help with your essay or homework and enjoy the spring break. By the time you arrive from your eco-friendly vacation, you will have your task fully completed and polished. That way, you won’t have to dive deep into the learning process right upon arrival. Plus, it can be a reward for being eco-friendly. However, there are even more ways to ensure it.
Take Only Necessary Stuff
Spring breaks are about having fun, dancing, and relaxing, right? So, you’re probably not planning to go on a hike or wear high-heels that will occupy much place in your luggage. Before even taking a suitcase with you, check whether you really need it. Maybe a small backpack will be enough.
Take Reusable Items With You
The market is full of smart options of reusable stuff you can easily put in your backpack. Here are some substitutions:
- Plastic bottles. Instead of buying one bottle of water after another, you can simply use your own to have a refill. The only difference is that in the evening, you will have to wash it.
- Cotton swabs. You can simply buy a silicone reusable one or at least choose the ones made of cotton and paper.
- Cotton rounds. There are plenty of multiple-use alternatives for these on the sustainable market.
- Plastic cutlery. Such items are banned in some countries. You can use travel-size sets made from light materials like bamboo.
- Disposable face masks. Imagine how much medical waste has been generated during the pandemic and how much gets disposed of in a sustainable way. True, some professions require disposable products, but for everyday use, opt for the masks that can be washed and reused.
Use Fewer Wet Wipes
We have gotten so used to the comfort of taking out a pack of wipes out of a bag that we forget about the good old ways to wash our hands. Wet wipes often contain plastic, and the sustainable options are more expensive and still not perfect. So, choose what’s more suitable for you. Probably you can just wash your hands in the restroom or use the sanitiser instead of wiping them with a cloth.
Be a Sustainable Guest at the Hotel
At hotels, people tend to act not like at home. They use twice as much water without any consideration and turn on the light everywhere in the room. Filtering huge amounts of water over and over again takes up a lot of energy, and let’s admit – you don’t really need so much light.
The same refers to towels — throwing them on the floor after one single use is not considerate. You don’t wash your towels at home every day for a reason, right? Actually, there are several reasons:
- they do not become dirty that fast;
- you don’t want to buy so much laundry detergent;
- water bills are expensive;
- you don’t have time to do laundry so often.
Nothing is different when you’re on vacation. So, just use them with this in mind. Finally, the personnel will have to spend their time with no apparent reasoning.
Avoid Buying Trashy Souvenirs
It’s not like students always go on a long-distance trip for a spring-break, but it happens. Therefore, if you visit another country, think twice before buying a souvenir for your friends. There are few chances that you can buy a fully sustainable souvenir, but at least choose the one that won’t be thrown away after you leave the apartment.
Also, think about packaging — you already have a backpack, do you need another plastic bag? Just don’t take it. Instead, take a shopper with you on the trip, it can serve as an additional bag if needed.
Use Waste Sorting Bins
These are needed to sort plastic, metal, paper, glass, and food waste. Most places now have such bins. So, look for them to dispose of the trash properly. It’s not much trouble to carry a bottle or package for ten minutes.
Meanwhile, this will be a good habit to develop in case you still haven’t. Just make sure to read attentively what is written on the boxes and ask someone if it’s a totally different language without visual help for foreigners. It won’t be of help if you put a half-eaten apple into a bin with paper waste.
Summing Up
See, it’s not really hard to be a sustainable tourist. The hardest thing is to start reshaping your habits. After that, you will be motivated to change for good, and it won’t be (or seem like) a burden. The more you travel and apply the tips above, the easier it will be to take all the necessary reusable items and follow some simple rules. In the end, you will develop very useful habits and won’t be able to imagine another way of travelling.
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