Sustainable Travel Tips with Kids.
We have been practising a sustainable lifestyle at home for some time now and this time I adopted the same while travelling to Pondicherry with my 3 years old son. We have been trying to lead a sustainable lifestyle by adopting green methods like composting wet waste at home, buying plastic-free packaging materials, making our own cosmetics/toiletries, and floor cleaner, using reusable straws, cups, cutlery, etc. giving away all kinds of plastic items and food pouches for recycling.
One of the most important things, we can do to protect our environment is, to find ways to reduce waste. There is not a perfect zero-waste solution, but there are some little sustainable travel tip things we can each do. It just requires some advance planning.
Single-use items like- water bottles, cups, and straws, have an impact not only on the environment but also on us.
Here are the sustainable travel tips that I followed:
- Packed our own food in reusable containers (or reusable food wrap) instead of buying that are wrapped in plastics
- Carried our own water bottles and refilled them after security check-in. Refilled at regular intervals from drinking water station
- Carried reusable, steel straw
- Cloth diapers(in case of emergency)
- Cloth pad and menstrual cup (in case of emergencies) (cloth pad)
- Loose green tea leaves
- Electric kettle
- Carried toiletries like- shampoo bar, detergent powder, soap,
- Steel straws, spoons, and snacks in small containers for the little one
- Requested the hotel staff to provide drinking water in a jar instead of water bottles
As a result, I could save 10 single-use straws from going to the trash. No unnecessary buying of water bottles.
Trash that we generated:
- One water bottle was kept in the hotel room and my little one was feeling thirsty
- 2 chocolate wraps someone gave it (which I got back with me)
I am most guilty about the carbon footprints that I contribute while taking a flight. I know flying is bad for the environment and all, but unfortunately, it was my only option. Otherwise, we mostly travel by public transport or on foot once we are at our destination.
Planning ahead for the trip will not only help you lessen your environmental impact, but it will also make your whole travelling experience more enjoyable. It was my first attempt at making a sustainable trip and I am glad I could attain it to some extent.