Last Updated on April 23, 2021 by Darrif William
Sustainable travel has been a hot topic in recent years, with many brands, communities and individuals promoting campaigns to help protect our planet – with much of the focus on creating a responsible travel movement. Change in any size or form can be daunting, but we don’t need to do a total 360° in order to make a positive impact, a few small eco-friendly swaps will go a long way – even to Barbados and back!
We’ve rounded up a few of our favourite eco-friendly products to help you travel more sustainably this 2021…
1. Water Bottles
We all know by now the harm that plastic has on the planet, but it’s easily forgotten if we’re heading out in a rush or grabbing lunch on-the-go. Reusable bottles are one of the easiest ways to be more sustainable and you can get some amazing designs from companies such as KeepCup, Chilly’s, Boobalou and more. Not only are will they significantly limit plastic pollution, but they’re cost efficient too – hospitality venues such as coffee shops even charge less for your hot drink when you buy or bring in a reusable cup. It’s a win win.
2. Reusable Utensils
Using reusable cutlery, tiffin boxes and straws can be a great move when you are always on the go – but people may be turned off by thinking they have to juggle even more items in their handbag. But that’s not the case – there are actually plenty of compact and minimal space containers available that can be easily packed and taken with you on all your trips. It’s also a great way to swerve the plastic packaging you’ll find in food stores and always have a straw handy!
3. Microfibre Beach Towel
We know you haven’t been able to hit the beach just yet, but there’s no harm in shopping around for your beach bag essentials now, right? Microfibre towels are a real saviour when you’re thinking of purchasing eco-friendly travel accessories, they’re soft, fluffy, lightweight, compact and often use materials such as organic cotton made from recycled plastic bottles! The best part? Microfibre towels are super absorbant and quick drying, so you won’t have to worry about it causing puddles in your bag.
4. Swap Toiletries For Solid Bars
Did you know you can swap a lot of your toiletries and essential items such as soap and shampoo for a solid bar that’s more efficient to travel with and less harmful to the environment. By swappin to bars, the product itself actually lasts much longer plus you don’t need to pack a lot of plastic bottles in your bag (only to then throw them away) either.
5. Non-Toxic Sunscreen
This may come as a shock, but the common chemicals found in your bottle of sunscreen actually harms the ocean’s coral reefs and other marine life. Approximately 14,000 tons of sunscreen is said to wash into the oceans each year; that’s 82,000 chemicals, which has caused 80% of corals in the Caribbean to be lost in the last 50 years – and it will continue if we don’t make this small change. There are lots of Reef friendly sunscreens available to buy which don’t contain harmful chemicals. A super simple swap that will save our underwater world.
6. Natural Insect Repellent
Insect repellent is one of the most essential items topack before you fly, particularly if you’re heading somewhere exotic. However, there’s evidence to suggest that these repellents may trigger undesireable hazardous interactions with biological systems with potential to have a harmful effect on humans and the environment. This is something you can easily swap it for a nature-friendly repellant, that’s readily available on the market. There are some great options for you to buy from, but we specifically like the solid bar option instead of a spray– add a link to where you can buy solid bar please
7. Canvas Shopping Bags
Canvas bags are the fashion item to pack, whether you’re looking for a chic sustainable tote for the beach or a more practical bag to do your self-catering and souvenir shopping! These eco-friendly bags will stop you from using a number of plastic ones throughout your trip (there could be countless amounts you use without even thinking twice); theytake up very little space in your suitcase, or you can use them as a carry on while at the airport!
8. Bamboo Toothbrush
One billion toothbrushes are discarded every year (that’s enough to stretch around the earth four times!), with each single plastic toothbrush having a negative effect on the planet. 50 million pounds of toothbrushes in total are added to landfills in the US annually, and there’s no time like the present to reduce this impact. An easy way to go green is to recycle your plastic one and browse for a new bamboo toothbrush instead – since bamboo is biodegradable, you don’t need to worry about throwing it away (responsibly) once the bristles fall off – it’ll do its thing to help the planet, not hinder it.
9. Flip-Flop
Possibly THE most popular item on any holiday is the beloved flip flop. They are fabulous in getting us from A to B in the warm weather, but there is the odd occasion we lose them in the sea which unfortunately results in thousands being washed up on the beach, along with other plastic waste. Introducing the eco-friendly flip flop – there are lots of brands such as Original Cork Shop and Sole Rebels that sell items made with natural materials such as hemp, FSC-certified rubber and more, so you can feel good about your holiday footwear! – add website links to the brands please.
10. Solar phone charger
You wouldn’t leave home for more than a few hours without taking a phone charger with you, right?You don’t have to feel guilty about all the electricity you’re using when you buy a solar phone charger instead. As the name implies, it uses solar energy (aka the power of the sun) to supply the electricity you need for your devices – meaning they don’t require an external electricity source to function. Take it with you on your beach day and you’ll be powered up to send those all-important sun, sea and sand snaps to friends and family back home!