Zero waste travel

Laatst bewerkt op 29 mei 2024

Zero waste travel is easy. Just like it is at home. Embrace the 5 R-concept with handy reusable – and light weight – travel items. A win-win for you and the environment.

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We could all do with a little less. Closets stuffed with clothings we don’t wear.. Toy boxes filled with only 3 seconds interesting toys. . So many things gathering dust. Waste. In the meanwhile we are exhausting our planet’s natural resources and cluttering it with waste. The zero lifestyle will help you minimize your negative impact.

The goal is not that everyone is living zero waste to the extreme. Millions of individuals trying to do it imperfectly – bit by bit They make the real difference.

So do you!

Just focus on “less” and “minimal waste” instead of zero waste.


Less is more

First steps in zero waste living? The zero lifestyle might feel a little bit danting. It shouldn’t. It is however a change in mentality. Surely one that will make you feel better. Zero waste guarantees an instant good feeling.

Change your habit of bying new things – you think – you need or accepting single-use materials. In 2018 I stopped bying new clothing. By swishing (clothing exchange) and bying in thrift shops I found – almost – everyhing I need. Things I don’t use I share with friend, I drop at the thrift store or sell them at the flea market.

Declutter feels good. For body and mind. The house feels a lot more brighter, cleaner. More space and air to breaht also feels like a fresh start. By sharing what you don’t need you help others and the environment.

Another win-win!

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5 R- concept

The zero lifestyle is based on 5 actions.

  • Refuse
  • Reduce
  • Reuse (repair)
  • Recycle
  • Rot

Refuse

Say no to what you don’t need. Free stuff or gifts from friends and family. If it is not really usefull it is waste.

Waste that we want to avoid.

Reduce

Limit the amount you really need. Think about shoes or a bulky fridge with food that goes to waste. Buy in bulk. The first thing on our list were big refillable water containers. Crazy how many water bottles you can save with little effort.

Reuse

Always try to have products reused. You don’t need it anymore? Don’t make it waste. Make someone else happy with it. Go to the fleamarket or thrift store. Leftovers in the fridge? Don’t throw them away? Make a nice leftover meal before bying something new.

Upcycle: give it a new purpose.

Repair: fix what is broken.

Recycle

If all the above fails, have it recycled. More products are being made with recycled materials. Always look for this option when buying something new. Even though recycling is using energy. You are minimizing the amount of waste.

A nice travel item from recycled materials, also handy at home.

Laptop bag from plastic bottles.

Rot

Compost organic materials we cannot refuse, reuse, reduce or recycle.

The 5 R- concept helps to live and travel more sustainable.

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Zero waste travel by plane

You often take way too much with you. Just like at home, we can definitely do with less at our holiday destination. How many times did you think “I packed too many things I did not use”.

Direct flights are not the cheapest but the most ecological. Every stopover means more fuel, especially with take-off and landing. The best part: avoid transit rules, longer travel time and chances your luggage can get lost.

Avoid waste during your flight. Afoldable reusable drinking cup takes up less space and comes in very handy when traveling outdoors. Say no to single-use items. Prepacked snacks are often free during your flight. Those sugar boms are wrapped up in plastic. Just take your favourite snack with you in a reusable food container you can use for a picknick or take-away at your destination.

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Zero Waste road trip

The most sustainable travel is to go on foot or by bike. Not that easy when traveling abroad for a longer time covering more distance. Public transport is shared and seems like the best option. However more often than not it uses dirty fossile energy. Just like most rental cars. Electric cars are on the rise. Also in the car fleet of rental companies. That is good news!

Electric wheels are the best way to avoid pollution (and noise). The bonus in Costa Rica: energy is green. The country has been running on 90% renewable energy for years.

The more luggage you take, the more energy is needed. Even green energy. Taking less is the best option. The environment – and your back – will be grateful.

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Sustainable zero waste travel items

zero waste travel items

Read all about essential things to pack in ‘packing list Costa Rica’ Still missing things? Look for secondhand materials. Borrowing stuff to take to Costa Rica is not a good idea. The land of Pura Vida is actually the best place to get rid of your belongings. If you don’t loose them, they get stolen or damaged by sun screen oil, mosquito products, high humidity,…

Anything new should be sustainable, lightweight and multifunctional.

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Food and drinks: avoid single-use plastics

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Zero waste care products

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Sustainable travel items

Use the criterium ‘sustainable label’ when browsing for products in bol.com

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Zero waste clothing and accessories

  • Travel light: pack for a week and use a multifunctional washing product
  • Do not buy new clothing: check-out thrift shops. However some specialised tropical gear might be handy. Always think multifunctional. Can I use it after my travel? Never forget about the mountains of waste the clothing industry is producing.
  • Buy eco sunglasses and plant a tree. Great isn’t it? Trees for the Future is not only planting trees but also organizing educations in sustainable farming in local communities.

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Zero waste travel: the preparation

Doing your research before you leave is half the work. At home you know your way around zero waste stores and where to buy sustainable products. Check-out your destination Every community will have a FB group or page where eco initiatives are shared. In Costa Rica you will bump into like-minded travelers in no time.

Get your food at farmer’s or organic markets instead of supermarkets. Check market dates and enjoy the local vibe at your destination.

In Costa Rica bamboo and corn straws are already common. Single-use plastic materials are not banished completely. They do however work towards a future with less single-use items. Never hesitate to request drinks without plastic straws. It will encourage businesses to do better.

In many places you will see beach clean-ups, book exchange,…

Participate in zero waste events or use service promoting less waste.

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Beauty in simplicity

The plastic soupk is on the world’s leaders agenda. We are confrontated with destructive consequences on a daily basis. You cannot escape the situation we – and our planet – is in. Wildlife being entangled, choked or hurt. Lack of space for waste. Micro-plastics in the ocean, in our environment, in our food. If business as usual is here to stay, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.

zero waste travel - avoid waste

Zero-waste wants to minimizewaste on earth and avoid products that are only 10 minutes in use but will remain on this planet for hundreds of years. Zero-waste is about finding beatuy in simplicity. About living with less and focusing on what really matters.

If we all take baby steps in a sustainable direction we can eliminate so much waste. Avoid material gifts. Organize a day out, a dinner or a donation for a charity. Sort out your stuff. Give away what you don’t use. Exchange clothing with friends, on a swishing event,…

Take your zero waste mentality with you when traveling.

Are you in?


Go zero waste