Wellness Travel begins with the love for ourselves, taking care of our bodies and minds, and then the world around us that we travel to and explore. 

I made a promise to myself last week, that I would continue to travel at least once, if not twice, every single month. Travel has such a profound impact on our views and compassion for the world around us, and how we interact with people and challenging environments. 

Clearly, I won’t stop traveling anytime soon; however, on a recent trip to Portugal, I was reminded of how much waste we create as travelers — if we’re not conscious about it. The key word there is IF. 

Single Use Plastics are some of the worst offenders when it comes to sustainability and travel. As conscious travel warriors, we can do our part to be the change, starting with our own habits with just a few simple strategies. 

Single Use Plastics are some of the worst offenders when it comes to sustainability and travel. As conscious travel warriors, we can do our part to be the change, starting with our own habits with just a few simple strategies. 

While there is no quick fix for healing our oceans and earth, I’m sharing tips for reducing single use plastics in this article. Stay tuned for the end of the post for an encouraging TAKE ACTION at the end from my friends at adidas and Parley to become a part of the solution for reversing the affects of destruction in the oceans. 

*Note, this post is not sponsored and everything shared in this post is coming from my own heart and love for the oceans and planet. 

7 Sustainability Tips for Air and Hotel Travel

1. [PRE-FLIGHT] REFILL YOUR OWN BOTTLE AND PASS ON PLASTIC

There’s nothing new about this “tip”, but how many of you warriors actually bring a water bottle with you to the airport, on the plane, and in the hotel — and USE it?

Have a dedicated Travel Water Bottle strapped already to your carry-on or backpack so there’s no way you can forget when you head out the door to the airport.

Once on board, be shameless to ask the attendant to give you a refill instead of the small plastic cups they hand out. Or, pass back the tiny bottles that come on your tray tables with in-flight meals. At the hotel, ask the front desk if they have water bottle refill stations, instead of opening up new bottles each night they leave in your room.

Can you guess who’s water is who’s? I know, the camera gave it away.

2. [PRE-FLIGHT] USE AIR-TIGHT CONTAINERS

A must for me when it comes to healthy travel is packing my own snacks. I’m going to take that a step further and suggest we move away from single use plastic baggies and use a reusable container to pack instead.

Check out an air-tight container, which will seal off any juices from leaking. While TSA doesn’t allow liquids, let’s be honest, fruits are allowed and WILL leak when given the chance!

3. [IN FLIGHT] SAY “NO GRACIAS” TO THE PLANE FOOD

Plane food is gross. Plane and simple. I shared an entire video on this topic in the Truth Behind Airline Food, which you can watch clicking the link.

Just pass on it. For many reasons. For your own personal health, energy, well-being, and for the environment. Have you looked at one of those plates before and realized everything is wrapped in plastic? Aside from your pre-baked and reheated “chicken or pasta?” tray, the rest is enveloped in single-use plastics.

Instead, pack your own foods (as mentioned in #2), and even bring your own reusable utensils. My friends at Senda Essentials have a beautiful solution for sustainable travel dining gears.

Airplane food from British Airways and TAP Portugal. I politely declined both meals and gave them back after the photos.

4. [IN FLIGHT] USE YOUR OWN HEADPHONES

While I’m a big fan of taking some time to relax, restore and watch a movie or two in-flight, I’m not a big fan of airlines’ plastic wrapped, cheap headphones. Plus, many of those cheap headphones get tossed after you use them—once.

If you know you travel often, give yourself a gift of peace and sound. These Bose Noise-cancelling headphones were one of the best gifts I’ve gotten in the past year. Get your own set of headphones, and pass on the plastic-wrapped ones. You’ll feel a bit more like first class in an economy seat using your own and you’ll be doing a high-five for the ecosystem.

5. [HOTEL] USE CERAMIC CUPS AT HOTEL & LOUNGES

The majority of hotels are about increasing profits with fast turnover and convenience. Plastic and paper within the rooms is a big solution from them for that goal. However, it does the opposite for saving the environment. Pass on the cups wrapped in plastic in the room with the coffee maker, the same goes for the individual coffee pods, along with the cups throughout the hotel in the gym, lobby and restaurants.

Instead, use your reusable water bottle in the gyms and throughout the hotel (see #1) and opt for the ceramic or glass cups in the room and in the restaurants, reducing your waste.

Lastly, I think this goes without saying these days in 2019; but just in case, PASS on the POPOTES (straws)! Drink from a cup or use a paper recyclable one instead.

6. [HOTEL] BRING YOUR OWN TOILETRIES

Soaps, shampoos, conditioners, body washes and lotions are many single-use items that you receive when you check-in and go to waste when you check-out. Especially for stays in hotels for only a one- or two-night stay, like I tend to do.

Aside from the fact that most of those toiletries are crap (remember, hotels are about fast turnover and the bottom line, not providing you with luxury bath amenities), bring your own from home for a few beneficial reasons:

• They’re better for your own skin

• It gives you a sense of “home” even when traveling

• You’re reducing the amount of waste from the wrapping itself, and from being thrown out after you check out

Keeping consistent with my skincare at home and when traveling, I use a refillable container for home and a TSA-sized travel kit for my carry-on from Au Natural Skinfood.

7. [HOTEL] GIVE BACK THE KEY CARD

I know it may be fun to keep the card as a souvenir or momento. However, what are you really going to do with that card after you get back home? Probably toss it in a drawer, or (worse) the trash.

Recycle it. Give it back at check-out so the hotel can reuse it for the next guest. Share the positive memories of your adventures, keep the “souvenir” in your heart (and your instagram), and let it go. Less stuff (you don’t really need), more freedom, warriors.

TAKE ACTION

We are all consumers, in some form or another. The most impactful role you can have as a consumer is to support brands that uphold the same standards and mindset you do. adidas is working with Parley to fight against the plastic pollution that is polluting our oceans by using plastic trash collected from remote beaches and coastal communities as the raw material for an entire range of sneakers and apparel.

By 2020, adidas’ goal is have all (that’s right – ALL) of their shoes to be made from recycled plastics. That’s bada** warriors!

And, if you’re catching this in time, join the global movement Run For The Oceans challenge in the Runtastic app. Every kilometer logged (0.62 miles, my fellow Americans) will be $1 contributed to Parley Ocean School to educate youth on how to protect the oceans.