Soul & Surf’s quick and easy guide to travelling without single-use plastic. We're keeping it simple with a short list of how to pack – and travel – with as little of the bad stuff as you can.
Words by Rachel Lingham | 29th April '24
We prefer our waves to be plastic-free too | Photography by @islameraliphoto - India
Every minute, one million plastic bottles are bought globally, while up to five trillion plastic bags are used annually. What's even more alarming is that over half of all plastic is intended for single-use purposes, eventually finding its way into landfills, obstructing waterways, or polluting our oceans.
Approximately 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans annually. Yep, 8 million.
Plastic free from the top down must be the way forward, and while this is a staggering problem and can feel a bit, well, overwhelming, we can take action as individuals and limit our own impact. Starting with how we choose to move around the world.
Read on for tips about how to avoid single-use plastic on your travels.
Make a zero-waste kit and keep it in your hand luggage.
And for checked luggage:
Choose airlines that are reducing their plastic waste if possible. And avoid plane food and all the plastic nonsense they give you by being prepared. Make yourself some energy bars, cut up some carrot sticks, whizz up some hummus, make some sandwiches – and put it all in your reusable tupperware (you will also find this tupperware useful on your travels at some point).
Re-use and look after the plastic bag you need for airport security. There’s no getting around it, but you can use this bag over and over again. For years.
Reducing our impact on the beautiful spaces we visit is possible | Photography by @tobybutlerphoto - Portugal
