Can I travel and still be waste-conscious?

Can I travel and still be waste-conscious?

The answer is most definitely yes! Traveling and waste consciousness are achievable; it just takes a wee bit of forethought.

When we leave our beautiful Norfolk, we are simply an extension of her out in the world. We represent our community and our island, whether we are visiting friends, traveling for sports, education, or pleasure! Just as we hope that visitors to Norfolk will respect our environment and salan, it is also our responsibility to do the same when we visit other places.

But it’s so hard not to make rubbish when traveling, right? Wrong! Here are a few easy ways to help you tread lightly while traveling…

- Keep cups! Keeping a coffee cup in your backpack has got to be one of THE easiest ways to ensure you’re not using those nasty disposable cups every time you want a cappuccino or chai latte!

- Reusable drink bottles. Again, this one is a bit of a no-brainer. There are water refill stations in most airports and shopping centers that have filtered water. And water purification tablets are available at most pharmacies if you’re heading into the sticks!

- Cutlery. Keeping your own cutlery set in your bag is not only very responsible, it’s also SO handy! They don’t have to be special ‘travel sets’; they can even be an odd knife and fork from the picnic basket.

- 2nd hand shops. If you fancy some retail therapy or perhaps forgot a raincoat on your trip, look through the op-shops and charity shops before buying something brand new. Textile waste is one of the world’s greatest challenges; shopping 2nd hand makes a world of difference.

- Say no to the bag and the receipt. If getting takeaway or shopping, try saying ‘no thank you’ to a bag or receipt. If your things are put into a bag for you, don’t feel bad about handing the bag back and saying thanks but no thanks. You won’t hurt anyone’s feelings, and it’s the right decision!

- Repurpose. If you end up with a few excess bags and receipts, re-use them! Bags are handy in most situations, and receipts are excellent for jotting down notes and numbers and for the kids to doodle on!

- Reusable containers. Taking just one or two containers with you can have a considerable impact. You might fill them with leftovers or pack a lunch for the following day. This saves money and resources and reduces food waste!

- Toiletries. Last but not least, never underestimate the amount of waste that can be saved by bringing your own toiletries! Packing a toothbrush, paste, a bar of soap, and your own shampoo and conditioner means that you won’t need to use the tiny, plastic-wrapped toiletries provided. And challenging yourself is so much fun!

We all love to experience new and foreign places, and it’s only fitting that we do everything in our power to impact these places as little as possible while we’re there. We can all become far more conscious and sustainable travelers with some imagination and forethought.

Not all communities are as lucky as we are to have the Norfolk Wave Recycling Centre to take care of our waste, so it’s up to us to ensure we don’t burden these places with our consumerism!

Thaenks f aklan yorlyi,
Lil, Dan, Mandi, and the Revolve Your World team