Sometimes the weight of going green and being environmentally friendly feels overwhelming, and it can be difficult finding ways to travel green. But taking those first steps to live a more sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to be difficult or painful!
So ladies, if you enjoy travel but are curious about how you can start travel green, I gotchu. Here are 10 small ways I’ve managed to travel just a little bit greener.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, if you click my links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Learn more on my disclosure page. Thank you for your support!
10 Small Ways to Travel Green for Women
1. Use a Menstrual Cup.
I made the switch to a menstrual cup about a year ago, and it’s been one of my favorite ways to travel green, if not one of the best general decisions I’ve made for my life.
The pros of using a menstrual cup just won it over for me – it’s zero waste, it’s a one time purchase, it’s more convenient (you can keep it in for 12 hours!) and it feels more hygenic. Adjusting to the cup and figuring out how to insert it can be daunting at first, but girl you got this. I promise you it’s not so scary!
For a more in-depth guide for traveling with a menstrual cup, I’ve actually written one because I’m just so passionate about it. Check it out for tips on how to use it, which brand is best and how to travel with it.
2. Carry a reusable water bottle.
Cut down the plastic and bring a reusable water bottle with you when you travel. With a bottle, you can fill up at the tap – when it’s safe drinking water of course – at a filer, water fountain, etc. It’s a great way to save money on travel, save on plastic, and express yourself with a travel accessory!
I recommend getting one that holds at least 1 liter of water. I bought this one from Simple Modern and actually love it, and it has great reviews too! For those looking for something a bit more swanky, you can truly never go wrong with a Swell bottle.
3. And bring along a portable water filter.
When traveling in countries without safe drinking tap water, relying on plastic bottles is a must. Lucky for us, LifeStraw and other great brands have developed portable water filters that allow safe drinking from any water source without using any plastic bottles!
I didn’t have one on my recent trip to India and it ended up being one of my biggest regrets. Not only did it mean I had to buy more plastic, but it also just meant I had to hunt and search for convenience stores to buy water. My friends with a filter could just fill up from the tap at our hostel and they were all set. It’s a convenience and a great way to travel green!
Grab the LifeStraw from Amazon or get the bottle straw combo to lighten your load! For an ultimate filter, Grayl should be your go to. It’s one of the only portable filters that removes both bacteria and viruses via their UV technology.
4. Opt for no straw. And if that’s not an option for you, go reusable.
Eliminating one-use straws from your life is one of the best and smallest ways to travel green. It’s so simple. You just need to get the hang of remembering to ask for without it first (honestly I’m still trying to master this small habit).
If living a strawless life just isn’t for you, there are so many cute, travel-friendly and reusable options on the market. I absolutely love these pretty rainbow metal straws – just so cute and fashionable! Or better yet, grab one of these collapsible silicone straws that have their own carrying case, perfect for travel.
5. Carry Reusable + Sustainable Bags.
Ok, this one is a no brainer, and I can hear you screaming “Thank you, captain obvious!” in your heads! But it’s worth mentioning that another great way to travel green and reduce waste is to simply cut plastic bags out of your life.
Carrying reusable bags with you everywhere makes it easier. Especially in Asia, plastic bags/containers are everywhere! They are used for street food, cafe beverages, pretty much any and everything we buy.
I have one of these fruit foldable bags that squishes down into a small ball that makes it convenient to always carry around with me, and it’s super cute, because I love cute things. Or go for a more classic folding bag like these simple nylon bags here. Or get creative and artsy and flash your truly unique style with any awesome canvas bags to express yourself!
Choosing a sustainable day pack is also a great step towards traveling green! There are numerous brands dedicated to reducing waste and using ethical business practices. These are the people we should be giving our money to! Brands like Patagonia, Osprey, and Fjällräven are all great examples of eco-friendly companies.
6. Try shampoo, conditioner and soap bars.
On my current backpacking trip, I packed up a Lush shampoo bar, Ethnique conditioner bar and just a plain ole Dove bar of soap for my travels in order to cut even more plastic out of my life.
I even ended up saving space in my luggage by opting for bars instead of clunky bottles. The bars have also proven to last months longer than the travel size plastic bottles of liquid shampoo/conditioner/body wash ever did. Another small way to travel green!
7. Switch to washable cotton pads.
This one is specifically for my fellow skin-care fanatics! If you currently rely on one-use cotton pads to wash/clean/apply toner to your face, lemme tell you something – it doesn’t have to be this way.
You can complete your skincare routine in a greenway with reusable, washable cotton pads. I’m obsessed with these reusable cotton pads I found on Amazon because they came with such a cute carrying case, a laundry bag for easy washing and 15 pads for two weeks worth of use. The pouch is also compact enough for travel and it’s become one of my essential backpacking travel accessories! Highly recommend.
8. Use local public transportation.
Instead of calling your own taxi every time you travel, or renting a car/motorbike, consider taking the local bus or form of public transportation. It’s more cost-effective, environmentally friendly (less gas!) and gets you even closer to experiencing the local culture. Do as the locals do!
9. Or better yet – walk or bike around your destination.
The best part about walking – it’s totally free! And it’s waste-free! AND it’s exercise and an excuse to get lost and get up close and personal with a new place.
It always surprises me how opposed to walking around a lot of people are. Even if it’s hot or feels far, a 30+ min walk is easy peasy guys, really consider it next time you need to get from point a to point b. This is my favorite way to enjoy a place and one of the easiest ways to travel green.
10. Instead of flying long distances, consider bus or train.
Travel is absolutely terrible for the environment, especially when considering long-distance flights. They use up so much gas and energy, but obviously they’re an inevitable part of cross-ocean travel.
But one way to travel green and even save money along the way is by utilizing sleeper trains or buses for long-distance travel across large landmasses. It takes longer, but it’s a fun way to see a new country, save money and be green.
I know this isn’t an option everywhere, America notably, but finding an alternative to flying for long-distance travel can help the environment immensely! Asia and Europe is a great place to take advantage of these alternatives to flying.
Let’s strive to find ways to travel green together! Even if they feel small and insignificant, in the cumulative we can actually do a lot of good.
What are some of your favorite sustainable travel tips?
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, if you click my links and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission. Learn more on my disclosure page. Thank you for your support!
