Easy Ways To Reduce Waste While Travelling

Most of us have heard of or seen the damage that plastic can do to our oceans and its wildlife. With the manufacture and use of single-use plastic at an all-time high, there’s no time like the present to take preventative measures to reduce waste while travelling. Here are eight easy tips on how to do so.

Purchase a re-usable water bottle

Single-use plastic is causing a real strain on some of our beautiful oceans. The next time you buy a bottle of water, think: “Do I have a bottle I could re-use?” Steel or hard plastic bottles can be purchased fairly cheaply, and can be re-used for years. If you do need to purchase a single-use plastic bottle, try to re-use it as many times as you can. You can bring empty water bottles through airport security, and some airports have free water taps.

Even better – buy a clean filtered one

Buy a re-usable straw

A lot of bars and restaurants are now ditching plastic straws for paper ones, or none at all. Always opt for no plastic or buy stainless steel straws, which can be re-used for years.

Shop at local farmers’ markets

Supporting local trade is a must when on your travels, and most cities hold regular farmers’ markets. At these you will be able to stock up on some of the best fresh produce around, and most of the fruit and veg will come without packaging. Handy for a quick snack on the go, which leads nicely on to our next tip…

Bring empty Tupperware or a mason jar with you

If you are serious about saving waste and are visiting a farmers’ market, you’d do well to bring a couple of empty jars or Tupperware boxes with you. They can be used in so many ways, from storing your snacks for the day or leftovers from a restaurant meal to using instead of throwaway plates.

Use re-usable bottles for toiletries

Not only are “travel size” toiletries a complete rip-off, the bottles and packaging they come in cause more waste. Simply pick up a few travel-size reusable bottles and fill them with your favourite shampoos, conditioners and sun creams instead. This will save you money as you’re likely to have these products at home anyway, and you’ll also be throwing less away at the end of your trip.

Do you really need to print your tickets?

Some airlines and travel companies do not require you to physically print off tickets anymore. Check with the companies you’re travelling with to see whether they have an app, so you can just show the ticket on your phone. Ryanair, for example, allows you to show a QR code on a mobile device at the gate, and some train companies in Europe allow you to purchase your train tickets on your phone.

Ladies – try a menstrual cup

A menstrual cup eliminates the need to buy pricey female sanitary products and also enormously reduces waste. The small silicone cups cost around £20 and can last for many years. Think of all the money spent on single-use sanitary products that you’ll save each month!

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Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.