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The ease of travel has taken its toll on the environment. Travelers are becoming more and more aware of pollution levels and are striving to reduce their carbon footprint.

In this post, I go even further by listing a few zero waste travel kit items that you can take with you on your next adventure. All of these items can be replaced with what you are currently using and easily fit into carry-on luggage.

Toiletries

Bar Soap and Shampoo

• Solid soap can save up room in your liquid limit for airplanes. They are easy to pack in tin containers. You never have to worry about anything leaking again!
• Visit the Canadian-based company Unwrapped Life and check out their travel sets. They come with shampoo + conditioner + tins.

Natural Deodorant

• If you don’t already know about the harmful chemicals in mass-produced deodorant, I suggest you read this article first. By making your own natural deodorant, you know what ingredients are used. I have a recipe that I use here. Once you’ve finished making your deodorant, all you need is a small jar to put in. You can easily make as much or as little as you need.

Bamboo Toothbrush

• Finding a real plant-based and plastic-free bamboo toothbrush isn’t as easy as you think. While the handle itself may be made from bamboo, the bristles may not be. While researching and looking at packaging information, the most common bristles are made of Nylon-4, which is a petroleum-based plastic proven to be biodegradable in certain environments; and bamboo or charcoal enhanced bamboo, which can sometimes be exposed as nylon if tested.
• Just be sure to read the label and buy from brands you trust.

Bamboo Pads

• These are a great alternative to cotton balls and essential to have in your zero waste travel kit. You can use them to remove makeup and nail polish and apply toner. The best part is, they come with a little mesh bag that you can put them in to wash in the washing machine.
• Tru Earth has a 14 pack of bamboo round pads for less than $25.

Menstrual Cup

• Ladies, if you haven’t stopped using tampons and pads, now is the time. The reusable menstrual cup is the ultimate zero waste travel kit item and actually holds more fluid ounces than a tampon or pad.
• I personally use the Lily Cup and I highly recommend it. It can be rolled as thin as a tampon.

Kitchen | Zero Waste Travel Kit Items

Re-useable water bottle with filter

• For this one, you’ll want to consider a high-quality water bottle that removes bacteria and contaminates. Amanda from CNET tested a number of different products and found that Grayl Geopress Purifier came out on top. You can read more about her findings here. I think you’ll be surprised by her findings on the popular Life Straw product.

Mini silverware set

• The mini silverware set comes in handy while exploring markets and you want to get something to eat. I picked my set up in Thailand, and it came with a spoon, fork, and chopsticks along with a little case to store it in. You won’t have to use plasticware ever again!

Metal Straw + Tumbler

• The metal straw is great to pair with a tumbler. You can take this with you for smoothies and cold drinks. In Thailand, I used mine religiously for iced coffee. I even got a little carrying case to easily attach it to a handle on my motorbike.

Cup or Mug

• How many times have you been given a plastic cup of water on an airplane? Probably quite a few. You can easily take along with you a reusable drinking cup or mug to avoid this situation. I imagine that you already have a few options to take with you sitting in your cupboards right now!

Metal Tupperware

• Want to go to a bakery and get a pastry to go? Don’t forget your travel size metal Tupperware. These things come in handy more often than not.

Environment | Zero Waste Lifestyle

Re-useable bags

• Not only should you have reusable grocery bags, but small mesh bags for produce end up being very useful as well. I have a collection of fabric tote bags that I use for groceries. They end up having multiple uses like picnic bags, beach bags, or day trip bags.

Eco Strip Laundry Detergent

• I recently discovered these amazing laundry strips. These can be easily included in your zero waste travel kit and are very effective when you’re on the road. They come in 2 scents, fresh linen, and fragrance-free.

Compost Pile / Community Garden

• When you’re visiting different cities it can be difficult to dispose of waste properly. However, if you’re staying in a hostel or an AirBnB, you can ask the host if they know of a community garden where you can contribute your compost pile.

Environmentally Friendly Accommodation

• Choosing to stay at eco-friendly accommodation can have a positive impact on zero waste travel. But, just because they call themselves eco-friendly doesn’t actually mean that they are. I would recommend starting by checking to see if the hotel is certified through places like Earth Check or the Green Hotels Association.
• Also, check to see if they have eco-friendly guidelines for reduced energy and sustainability.

Support Eco Tourism

• To complement your eco-friendly accommodation, you can support eco-tourism activities. While living in Bangkok, I participated in helping their efforts to grow mangrove trees to combat the receding shorelines.

Bonus Tip: Shop at local markets and bulk stores

• Bring your own containers, remember that metal Tupperware we talked about?
• Be wary of wrappers and plastic packaging in grocery stores

That concludes my list of 15 zero waste travel kit items and how you can travel more eco friendly. What did you think? Do you use any items on this list?