Bea Johnson's book "Zero Waste Home" had strongly changed my view regarding our consumption patterns which led me, before my trip, to change my behavior. When I decided to start this unique travel adventure in Southeast Asia (which lasted for 8 months), this question of how to travel in zero waste mode came up to my mind.
After many readings, I realized that the gap between living in Europe and becoming a nomad backpacker in Asia will bring challenges should I try to replicate my way of living in that sense. However, I decided not to give up on my values and do the best I could (stubborn girl from Brussels).
So before we enter to the real tips of zero waste travelling, I promise to keep you posted in a near future about different experiences, places and lessons I have learned during my travelling.
And for the tips, here we go... :
Tip #1 - Get your own Reusable Water Bottle
I recommend an eco-friendly bottle which is not made out of plastic (might bring along a bad taste after some months). Also, be careful with the quality of cap. Indeed, when I packed everything for my big trip, I managed to forget my reusable bottle in Belgium (smart me) so I bought one in Cambodia. Unfortunately, after 6 months of travelling, the plastic cap did not fulfill any longer its prerequisite to hermetically seal the bottle. Therefore, it is useful to think carefully about the kind of bottle you want to bring with you before the big departure.
The question of having a reusable bottle including a filter had also been asked before my departure, but it appeared during my research that this type of filter does not allow to filter heavy metals. These types of metals are strongly present in all the taps in Southeast Asia and over a long period of time, consuming this can be dangerous. The good news are that in Southeast Asia, it's possible to refill your bottle for free or at a lower cost in most of the youth hostels / guest houses, or even in the street as in the case of Thailand (see image below taken in Chiang Mai).
Tip #2 - Bring your cool "shopping" bag
When you travel, it's always useful to have a reusable "shopping" bag that you can fold into a tiny pouch bag. During a long trip, this kind of bag will become very handy because it releases you from the irritating need of having to empty your small backpack every time you want to do simple activities such as : buying goods at the market, carrying your belongings to the beach or dropping your clothes to the laundry.
Tip #3 - Zero waste toiletries
Nowadays, many brands offer a multitude of shampoo, soap, toothpaste and deodorants solid and organic, oriculi, menstrual cup, etc. You will be spoiled for your own choice. However, I can recommend using the brand "Lamazuna" and the Aroma Zone website.
For more information on this subject, you can read my article about "Zero Waste Toiletries".
Tip #4 - Zero Waste Travel Containers
When I travel, it's always a good idea to have with you small containers in order to carry your lunch or some fragile goods that you just bought in the market.
Several options are possible :
- The reusable solid box, which is very useful and can protect your lunch while you are trekking. Nevertheless, if you leave for a long journey and don't have a lot of space in your bag, it may not be the best option.
- The collapsible Tupperware, which is useful when you don't have a lot of space in your bag. But pay attention to the quality of your box because I literally experienced the collapse of the box with my lunch inside...
- The "snack pouch", which is a good idea if you plan to have a lunch made out of bread. If you leave for a country in Asia, this option may not be the best because it's not easy to carry noddles or fresh spring rolls in that kind of container (we all learn from our own mistakes).
- The "reusable food wrap" is a good alternative if you plan to travel with a small bag (super light travelling) and you plan on eating solid lunch. You can create that kind of reusable food wrap by yourself. For more information, you can read my article about "How to make a beeswax food wraps".
Tip #5 - Washable handkerchiefs
If you are like me and have a running nose everyday, my best solution for you is the washable handkerchiefs. It took me a lot of time to convince myself to use it, as I always considered it as the symbol of old people. But I can tell you today that I don't regret this change for one second. First of all, when I have a cold, I don't have any more my clownish red nose due to the multiple contacts between my skin and the paper tissues. Second, I stopped spending a lot of money on buying tones of one use tissues. Third, it gives you an entry point to discuss about zero waste with your friends, because, believe me, they will ask questions!
If you leave for a long journey, I recommend to take with you at least 4 or 5 handkerchiefs because it can be easily lost on the way.
Tip #6 - Bamboo straws
I never thought of taking a straw into my travel bag since I never use it in Belgium. In Asia (and many other countries) it is clear that having a straw in your drink is a must, especially with fruit juice or smoothies. After too many smoothies, I decide to buy a bamboo straw and a small brush to clean it. The problem with a bamboo straw is that it can break easily, especially when you travel for a long time with a backpack. So if you decide to leave for a long trip I would recommend instead to invest in a metal straw, less pleasant but stronger.
Tip #7 - Reusable chopsticks and cutlery
When you travel, it's always a good idea to have a small knife with you (a swiss knife for example), but when you travel in Asia it can be interesting to invest in other kind of cutlery. This is because that when you eat in markets or small restaurant you are most likely to get one-use plastic cutlery or wood (bad quality!) chopsticks.
Tip #8 - Be stylish with your Face mask
Once again it is something I never thought about because we don't really use it in Belgium. But I quickly realized that in Southeast Asia it can be very important. Indeed, when you rent a motorbike or a bicycle (or take a tuk-tuk) you often ride in very dusty roads (for example in Cambodia or Myanmar) or with a lot of air pollution (as in Bali). It can then be very useful to have that kind of mask with you to help breathe normally. This mask can also be useful to warm you up when you decide to climb a mountain at 3 am and it's freezing!
I started my journey by trying to reuse the small paper mask that a tuk-tuk driver gave me in Cambodia...but it wasn't created to be used for more than few times. Following that, I decided to buy a cloth mask but it wasn't a really good one. Later, in Bali - Ubud, I finally found the good one (cf. picture below), and I really felt the difference.
And what about you? What are you zero waste travel tips? Feel free to share your ideas. I hope my tips will help you.