As travelers ourselves, we enjoy discovering new locations. And at Sustainable Properties, we look to improve travel by becoming more eco-friendly, limiting our impact on the environment so the places we travel to can remain beautiful for generations to come.
Every packing list contains the essentials. But, many travel products are single-use and made of plastic, or wrapped in frustrating amounts of it. To solve this problem, we've searched the internet for some of the best eco-friendly alternatives for your essential packing list.
We seek to reduce our footprint and become more eco-friendly, but we aren't experts in everything green. Please keep that in mind as you look over this list, and make sure everything works for your individual needs!
What Makes Something Eco-Friendly?
Eco-friendly, zero waste or sustainable products vary in production and distribution. Typically, they are designed to be reusable or long-lasting, made from environmentally friendly material (biodegradable, non-plastic), use an efficient amount of energy, if any at all, and are packaged, distributed, and sold in an environmentally conscious manner.
Our Eco-Friendly Packing List
1. Sunscreen
Sunscreen is necessary to stay protected in any stint into the outdoors. But, sunscreen has also been shown to do damage to ocean reefs around the world.
Luckily, Travel + Leisure has covered this subject, offering an extensive list of options. Consider scent, ingredients, SPF, and water-resistance when deciding what works best for you.
2. Headphones
When we think of travel, we envision our destination, the excitement of exploring new places, and meeting new people. But, a lot of our time is also spent in lines and packed seats, waiting, or riding to our destination.
For this reason, many people bring entertainment, and music is perfect. You don't need reception (as long as you download that playlist!) and you already have your phone.
We wanted a pair of headphones that were reliable, and eco-friendly. So, we chose House of Marley Headphones to fit our needs. Their products ship worldwide and use environmentally conscious materials, making them some of the best eco-friendly headphones for travel.
3. Toothbrush
Don't forget your toothbrush! There are way too many occasions when this little tool is forgotten, and we all know it's essential. However, there are usually two groups of people when it comes to traveling with a toothbrush (or three if, "I forgot mine" counts).
The first group owns a very expensive toothbrush. Or, they prefer not to bring their "at-home" toothbrush for cleanliness or worry-sake. These folks often bring single-use toothbrushes to dispose of after their trip. For this group, we recommend a bamboo toothbrush, like the ones from Eco Brush Earth.
For our second group, these are the folks that prefer to bring along a brush, or better yet, purchase something eco-friendly to use at home. In this case, we recommend something that lasts longer, like the toothbrushes from Swak.
4. Toothpaste
An eco-friendly toothbrush calls for eco-friendly toothpaste. But, some people are picky about their paste
Luckily, Sustainable Jungle has an excellent write-up on a variety of different kinds of toothpaste. We still prefer our classic peppermint flavor but to each their own.
5. Shaving Kits
Shaving can create quite a bit of plastic, especially single-use razors. And for many people, it's part of their cleaning routine. But just because you're traveling doesn't mean you have to leave your razor behind.
Like many of our other chosen products, or favorite razors are designed for long-term use and made from responsible materials. Many of these come in kits, made to work alongside certain soaps and creams, a win-win.
Eco-Roots has an excellent shaving kit for women on the road.
And don't worry, guys. We have you covered too. Leaf Shave has an excellent razor for anyone. So don't worry about growing that travel-beard unless you want to.
6. Soap, Shampoo, and Conditioner
Speaking of cleaning routines. Soaps, shampoos, and conditioners are usually in different categories. We chose to group these, as they are all used in a similar fashion, and require a similar feature -- biodegradability.
These bars and bottles need to contain ingredients that can go directly into the water and remain safe for the environment. This is because many travelers don't go to cities and hotels for their trips. Some will go camping or enjoy a trip into nature. These travelers usually only need the essentials, they won't have showers, but they will have a river.
For this reason, we include soap, shampoo, and conditioner as the basics for cleanliness. Dr. Bronner's offers all of the above, and from our research looks to be one of the best options in the category, just choose your scent.
7. Deodorant
Deodorant plastic covering and chemical compounds are damaging to the environment and deodorant scents are unique to each individual. To provide a safe and personalized alternative, we provide you with a few options:
First, create your own deodorant. This way you can control ingredients, scent, amount, and texture. Plus, it lets you create a "travel size" perfect for your travel bag. If you decide to create your own deodorant, we are a fan of this guide from Healthline. It provides a breakdown of the benefits and process of creating your own deodorant.
Second, purchase an eco-friendly deodorant. There are a variety of options here, and it takes out the learning curve of creating your own jar or bar. Sustainable Jungle covers a list of eco-friendly deodorants that could be perfect for anyone with a packing list.
8. Books and Magazines
Traveling can be long and tedious, especially if you don't get to travel with a companion, or you're shy. Bringing along entertainment is one of the best ways to pass time. Books are the most common amongst most travelers, and airport stores typically cover an entire wall of best-sellers, new releases, and popular magazines.
These are a good option for most travelers, but when you are carrying a lot with you, adding more can be frustrating. Some folks will lose their paperbacks during their trip, or toss out a well-read magazine. Recycling bins can help with this, but our option saves time, money, and space in your bags.
This is why we recommend buying an e-book or reading device (your phone can even work). These books in some cases can even be free, depending on the types of subscription services you subscribe to. Unless you need a laptop for work, we found a tablet works best. Tablet screens are much larger than phones, making it easier to read than your phone, and unlike a laptop, you can buy a tablet for a pretty reasonable price.
9. Water Bottles
Having portable water is nice, but many airport security gates won't allow you to carry a bottle of water through security. Plus, on the other side of the gate, most airport shops only contain bottled waters. This is certainly convenient, but if you want to avoid creating more plastic waste during travel, then we recommend purchasing a refillable bottle.
These bottles come in a variety of colors and prices, are better for the environment, and can be purchased at most supermarkets.
Just make sure the bottle is empty before putting it into your bag. Then, once you've crossed through security, go to an airport restaurant (if the airport doesn't have filtered stations for water) and request the employee to fill your bottle. And, maybe grab a bite to eat while you wait.
10. First Aid
Most people usually miss this one. But, carrying a few bandages, or even a basic first-aid kit when traveling can be convenient.
Most first-aid kits aren't designed to be environmentally conscious, let alone eco-friendly.
Creating your own kit can also be somewhat difficult and time-consuming. We recommend picking up a Nutricare Firstaid Kit as an alternative.
Safe Travels
We hope some of these items have helped you rethink your packing list. Remember to always bring a product that works for you and is safe to travel with. This list is some of our favorite options, but it's certainly not comprehensive. Just consider what you could replace with an eco-friendly alternative. You may be surprised by the benefits.
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