Guest writer
Travelling without plastic
‘If you think that you are too small to make a difference,
try sleeping with a mosquito’
Dalia Lama
Well, for my northern hemisphere friends it is time to head off on a summer holiday and for my southern hemisphere friends it is time to chase the sun up north! You have done all of the planning. You know where you are going and have a good idea of what you will be doing. So let’s get started. Get your suitcase and carry on bag out and start packing. Clothes, shoes, toiletries, credit card, tickets, electronic devices (and don’t forget the chargers!), some reading material, sunglasses, medications, and a few of your favourite snacks and drinks. Snap the suitcase and bag shut, ring for the taxi and you are ready to head off on a wonderful adventure and create more memories for the family albums.
STOP and REWIND. Think again. The thought of a wonderful holiday is exciting, however, at what cost? How big is your footprint for this trip? How can you minimise your footprint? And this is before you even walk out of your door.
Let’s not spoil our holiday by over analysis but let’s be thoughtful and perhaps develop some new good habits that will make a difference and along the way encourage others to do the same.
You might like to try the following, regardless of the mode of travel that you choose:
- Reusable drink bottle – fill it with water once you are on the plane
- Reusable cup – ask the flight attendant to fill it with your onboard drink
- Snacks – pack your own yummy snacks in jars. They are sure to be much healthier that the prepacked ones that will be offered to you.
- Utensils – carry a spoon and chopsticks in your carry-on. A knife and fork can go in your check in luggage
- Reusable shopping bag for those last minute purchases
- Upcycle travel containers for cosmetics and toiletries
- Take your own soap (wrapped in paper)
- You already have a bamboo toothbrush and hairbrush! Yes?
- Avoid food that is wrapped in plastic and utensils that are individually wrapped
- Take your own headphones
- Complete online surveys and provide feedback whenever possible about your plastic free preferences
There will be challenges along the way. Some people will not understand what you are trying to do but you will certainly be giving them something to think about. If you are flying, keep any plastic wrapped items that you do not use e.g (utensils) and hand them to the attendants as you leave the plane. Suggest that they not be thrown out, as they would have been done if you had left them on your tray. They are still perfectly good to be used, but not by you and your environmentally conscious friends! Your gesture will make for great conversations that you may never hear about but your gesture may be the catalyst for great change.
Have a great time saying No to plastics and YES to organic alternatives
Alison Besselaar