This summer, make sure you’re doing vacation right with our tips on eco-friendly packing, transportation, and lodging.
Packing
Instead of buying new little plastic-bottled travel-sized toiletries every time you go on a trip, try refilling the same bottles from your own full-size products, or getting them refilled at our refillery.
If you don’t already have travel-sized bottles laying around, try our travel-sized hair and body care from Plaine products! They’re plastic free (made of infinitely-recyclable aluminum), and we’ll give you a discount on your new bottle whenever you bring the empty one back to us! We send them back to Plaine, and they wash and refill them, so the process is as circular as possible.
Even better, go with the TSA-friendly option of liquid-free toiletries. Options like tooth tabs and mouthwash tablets, solid shampoo, conditioner, face wash, and body wash are easy to pack and better for the environment. We also carry travel-friendly wooden toothbrushes and refillable wooden floss containers with plastic-free floss.
Transportation
When it comes to traveling long distances, trains tend to be better for the environment, followed closely by buses, then planes, then cars.
For shorter distances (about 600 miles or less) cars are more sustainable than planes in emissions per passenger, but both are definitely still not as eco-friendly as public transportation like trains and buses. Short haul flights are usually defined as flights that are under 3 hours.
Keep in mind that the more passengers you fit in a vehicle, the more sustainable that option becomes!
Once you’ve reached your destination, walk around! You can also consider renting bikes or electric scooters, or getting a pass for the local subway or bus system, so you can use sustainable transportation instead of renting a car or constantly getting taxis.
Lodging
Consider staying at a smaller or locally-owned lodging instead of a branch of a large hotel franchise. This practice also helps keep the money from your tourism in the local economy!
Don’t stop conserving water and energy just because you’re not the one paying the bills! Before you leave the room for the day, turn the lights off and turn the thermostat down so the heating or cooling doesn’t have to work so hard.
Take Sustainability With You
A little intention goes a long way. By making mindful choices about how you pack, move, and stay, you’re proving that a great vacation doesn’t have to come at the planet’s expense. We can all have a relaxing time AND be thoughtful by refusing the single-use (plastic) disposables, considering public transportation when possible, and seeking out local businesses where ever we land.