10 Sustainable Travel Essentials & Simple Tips For a Greener Vacation 

From compact gadgets to eco-friendly sunscreen, discover travel essentials sustainable travels, and handy tips to reduce your impact.

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes

You’ve got your accommodation booked, transport sorted, and must-sees marked on the map… now it’s time for the last part of your travel prep: packing your bags!

To make your job easier we’ve compiled our 10 must-have travel essentials for every globetrotter. From handy gadgets to reef-safe sunscreen, these items ensure safe travels while treading lightly on the planet. And the best part? They’re small enough to fit snugly in your cabin bag so you can jet off with a clear conscience and plenty of room for souvenirs.

But before we begin let’s address the elephant in the room (or should we say airplane): Travel has a bad rep in environmentalism, coughing up some hefty carbon emissions and harming previously untouched landscapes.

That said, when done mindfully it can evoke a greater appreciation for the planet and be one of the best ways to keep sectors such as tourism alive and support local communities. That’s why we’ve thrown in 5 helpful tips for you to consider when planning your next trip to respect the landscapes you’re admiring and communities you’re visiting.

Time to embark on a journey towards greener pastures, equipt with the top travel essentials…

Your Travel Essentials Packing List

We’ve all been there: emptying our clothes on the bed, raiding the bathroom cupboards, and STILL having no clue what to pack. Fortunately, these essentials make packing as easy as laying on the beach sipping on a fresh coconut.

When it comes to clothing, our best tip is to pick a color scheme and clothes that can be dressed up or dressed down with accessories so you can pack lightly and mix and match for day and night.

As for toiletries, swap bottles for bars wherever possible. This will take less space in your bag, reduce plastic waste, and you won’t have to worry about the 100ml liquid limit for cabin bags. Everything else? Check the list!

1. Clear Zinc Mineral Sunscreen

A reef-safe sunscreen is essential for a safe and sustainable trip. This zinc oxide formula combines natural mineral powder with water and sweat-resistant technology, for up to 80 minutes of unbeatable sun protection. The compact tin is perfect for your cabin bag too!

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2. Shampoo & Conditioner Duo

Swapping bottles for bars helps you pack lightly and plastic-free, perfect for backpacking and family vacays alike.

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3. Soap Bar Travel Tin

This travel tin keeps your soap bars safe and your luggage squeaky clean, meaning there’s 0 need to go back to bottles.

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4. Toothpaste Tablets

Ditch the bulky tubes and embrace these minty and mess-free tablets. They’re super handy for staying fresh on long-haul flights too. 

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5. Plastic-Free Water Filter

Stay hydrated with this handy water filter, purifying tap water and saying no to bottles wherever your adventures take you. 

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6. Stain Stick Bar

Whether removing stains in the wilderness or refreshing sweaty clothes in a hotel sink, this stain stick covers all your vacation cleaning needs.

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7. Maria Market Bag

Tote your groceries, souvenirs, and beach essentials in this chic market bag. Made from sustainable materials, it's a stylish ‘no’ to plastic bags. 

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8. Stainless Steel Straw

You’ve soaked up the sun all day, and now it’s time for a refreshing drink at the bar or restaurant. Pack your stainless-steel straw, and you can sip away without any waste. 

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9. Natural Essential Oil Insect Repellent

Nothing ruins the summer vibes more than itching all night because of unwanted guests. Keep the pesky bugs at bay without the chemical stench, with this essential oil blend.

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10. Compact Lite Portal Tech Charger

Keep your devices powered up and ready for action with this compact charger, housed in 72.5% post-consumer plastic. 

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4 Simple Tips For a Greener Vacation

Photo by Luca Bravo on Unsplash

Once you step off the plane, the challenge is to stick to your sustainable and respectful values throughout your vacation. If you’re reading this blog, the chances are you already will, but here are some simple tips you might have not considered!

#1: Keep It Clean

You can start by searching local recycling and waste disposal guidelines, but if you can't find recycling bins carry your waste with you until you find a suitable place to dispose of it. To go the extra mile, consider participating in a beach or trail clean-up to help preserve the beauty of the place you visit.

#2: Keep It Local

The magic of travel is learning about a new place, and who better to learn it from than the people who call it home? Opt for local tour guides and shop from local businesses to support the economy and reduce the environmental impact of imported goods. If you can find tours that offer sustainable and authentic experiences, you might be able to take a few eco-insights and tips home with you!

#3: Move Around Mindfully

With the tourism industry being responsible for 8% of the entire world’s carbon emissions, traveling to your destination might not be the most sustainable. Once you land, however, you can explore your new surroundings by foot, bike, or public transport to reduce your carbon emissions. You’ll get a much richer experience than seeing everything through a car window!

#4: Consider Offsetting Your Impact

Once you get home, you might want to look into offsetting the impact of your journey. You can calculate your carbon footprint for the trip on calculators like this one. Many organizations offer programs where you can invest in projects to offset your emissions, like this site.

There you have it - 10 travel essentials and 4 handy tips, so you can pack smart and travel responsibly. 

Safe travels!