Eco-Friendly Travel Essentials for the Mindful Minimalist

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What an incredible quote! I whole-heartedly believe it. Traveling is a wonderful way to experience other cultures and see the world. While traveling might not be the most sustainable pass time, there are certainly things we can do to minimize our waste. Let’s discuss eco-friendly travel essentials.

Tourism

According to SustainableTravel.org, tourism creates 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. Transportation being the biggest culprit, mostly from flights and cars, increases our carbon footprint when we travel from one place to another.

While travel wouldn’t exist without these means of transportation, we can certainly offset some of these negatives with the opportunity to make a better choice. Here are 6 sustainable travel products to get you started.

Eco-Friendly Travel Essentials

Travel Pack

First and foremost, it is essential to have a good travel bag. You want something that is durable, yet not too bulky, and you want it to last a long time. Because things that are poor quality and cheaply made are not sustainable and, let’s be honest, a waste of our hard earned money.

I didn’t realize how important a quality bag was until my husband bought me my first Cotopaxi 35L Del Dia Travel Pack for Christmas last year. Total game changer.

Let me preface by saying, I tend not to over pack. I do make sure I have some extras, in case of emergency. That being said, I managed to get everything for a 10-day European vacation in this bag, no problemo.

I love Cotopaxi for their eco friendly travel bags, not only because it’s an ethical company (that surely helps) but because each bag is uniquely made of recycled, responsibly sourced and sustainable materials.

These packs offer so much space with a variety of compartments, all shapes and sizes, that meet your every need. Some features of this bag include: secure anti-theft YKK zippers, low-profile harness system for a comfortable carry, not to mention, it’s unmatched durability.

Cotopaxi also offers packing cubes that can help to keep you organized or my favorite, to store your dirty clothing after it’s been worn.

Reusable Water Bottle

Next, reusable water bottles. Now this is an eco-friendly travel essential! I always recommend having a water bottle with you when traveling. You don’t want to break the bank by always having to buy expensive airport water. Especially when there are refill stations everywhere, or at least there has been at each airport I have ever traveled from.

Also single-use plastics have gotten totally out of hand. It is by no means necessary to use a different plastic bottle each time you want more water. Ditch those single-use plastic bottles and simply fill a reusable bottle with tap water. This switch will lessen your environmental impact and save you the extra cost.

When it comes to the type of reusable water bottles, I avoid the ones with a built in straw. In my experience, the straws tend to get moldy and are hard to clean. And you don’t realize it, until you realize it. Why take the risk?

I prefer a wide mouth stainless steel bottle for the mere fact that they are easy to clean. I like this one from Eastern Mountain Sports. Cotopaxi also has another great option.

To take it a step further, say goodbye to those disposable coffee cups and opt for a reusable coffee cup, like this.

ECO- FRIENDLY TIP: A reusable water bottle significantly cuts down on your waste, as well as, keeps plastic waste out of the oceans!

Fanny Pack

Fanny packs are a great way to keep your personal belongings with you without having a bulky or obvious bag. I say obvious bag because when you travel you become a target to theft. I don't say this to scare you but to make you aware. Traveling on the streets of a new city you will be targeted based on how much you look like a tourist.

Using a smaller belt bag or fanny pack will allow you to carry just the necessary items (phone, keys, identification, money) while keeping your hands free.

I personally prefer a fanny pack (or belt bag) because you have the security of the bag being directly on your chest or waist. And this makes it easy to grab in case someone (not so nice) were to unbuckle or cut it from behind.

I am highly impressed by the brand TerraThread. I recommend this brand because organic farming is their top priority. They also happen to be Fair Trade, Carbon Neutral, and a B Corporation. The Gaia Sling bag is made from organic cotton canvas and would be perfect for your next trip.

Toiletries

Next we have toiletries, a necessary part of our everyday lives. Traveling included. When traveling though, we cannot carry with us our entire medicine cabinet of products, especially in their full size. That's when travel-size toiletries come in handy.

Believe me, I know how cute the miniature bottles of travel essential are but 99% of them are in plastic and will be thrown out after returning back home. That's why I encourage you to choose a sustainable option. Reusable silicone bottles and plastic free alternatives.

For that very reason, I love Georganics toothpaste tablets and their travel-size mouthwash. These products are packed in eco-friendly materials such as aluminum and glass. Plus, the tablets allow you to forgo the plastic toothpaste tube.

Solid toiletries are also another sustainable option. Solid meaning solid shampoo, conditioner bars, body soap bars, and face wash bars for example. These are easy to travel with because you don't have to worry about liquids leaking that you have to store in a plastic bag.

They also use less water because they are concentrated, giving you more bang for your buck.

Here are 5 additional reasons I love shampoo bars!

As I mentioned above, I also cannot travel without my little silicone bottles. These little bottles are perfect for the shampoo, conditioner, body wash or face wash you already have at home! Just fill them up with your favorite product and reuse them time and time again.

You can buy these reusable containers almost anywhere. I got mine from Etsy.

While you are at it, check out Attitudes non-toxic eco-refills and get $20 with this link. My favorite is the clarifying shampoo! It smells like summertime.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is always good to have on hand when traveling. Especially if you are going somewhere the sun is stronger than where you live.

I am a big advocate for non-toxic mineral sunscreen. Mineral sunscreen made with natural ingredients are safe for the marine life, like coral reefs, and also safe for you and your family.

If you aren't familiar, check out my articles on the best non-toxic sunscreen and why conventional sunscreen is dangerous.

VPN Protection

Lastly, a VPN. I didn't know this until our recent trip to Costa Rica, but having a VPN to protect your internet in a foreign country is highly recommended.

By connecting your phone or laptop to a random WiFi, you could be putting yourself at risk for being hacked. When given the opportunity, hackers could and will steal your passwords, personal information, and so on.

A VPN is a great way to protect yourself from hackers. Simply create an account and download the app. The app will run in the background when you use the Internet or WiFi.

We used NordVPN in Costa Rica, recommended by a friend. It was easy way to keep us protected for the entire trip. I would highly recommend it.

Adopting sustainable practices (like making the switch to eco-friendly travel essentials) are important not only for your own carbon footprint but for the well-being of our earth as a whole.

Let me know in the comments which eco-friendly products I should add to the list! Where are you headed next?