Rev. 11/11/21
It’s hard enough these days hearing about greenhouse gas emissions, climate change effects, and plastic-clogged oceans and wondering how you can help prevent these. Throw in travel and you wonder how you can keep up? It’s simple: flex your conscious consumer muscle with eco-friendly travel products.
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Eco Friendly Travel Products
When you’re giving a gift to your travel buff loved one or friend, or want to buy for yourself, do so with eco friendly products. Check out these wonderful 15 win/win eco friendly travel products for you and yours.
They are inexpensive and you can show off how you travel with the planet in mind.
1 – Reusable Water Bottle
Bringing your own refillable, water bottle is bound to reduce your purchase of bottled water and using plastic cups on planes or trains, which will reduce your contribution to millions of tons of plastic waste Americans produce every year. Not to mention the money you’ll save on expensive airport bottled water. Yikes!
These days, refillable bottles are BPA-free, have their own filter and are light weight for carrying daily. Check out the Katadyn BeFree Collapsible Water Filter Bottle – 1.0L. BPA-free, lightweight, compact for tight spaces, easy to use and clean.
Plus it has a replacement filter system, great for off the beaten path traveling or camping. This water bottle alone can pay itself off in 10 bottled water purchases or less. In fact, bring it with you everywhere you go, not just traveling. I do. I love this water bottle.
2 – Collapsible Cups for Hot & Cold Drinks (Set of 4)
For hot and cold drinks, ME.FAN has a great Collapsible Cup/Portable Compact Travel Coffee Mug perfect for any travel or commuting, near or far. Made from food-grade silicon BPA-free, these come with a lid, are lightweight and fit in small bags. I like the little base it has to help from falling over when my plane experiences turbulence.
Turbulence is bad enough without having to have your drink spill on you. This little cup is sure to catch the eye of the airline attendant. Show them you care about the environment and say, “No plastic cup for me. I brought my own.”
3 – Bamboo Utensils with Straw
Bring your own Bamboo Essentials utensil set to avoid using plastic utensils in all locations (airports, airplane, hotel room or eating out). A full utensil set, it comes with chopsticks, straw, straw-cleaning brush, travel pouch (offered in an array of colors), and carabiner clip. I keep mine in my purse daily. You never know… As light as a feather and compact, I’ve noticed these are catching on around the world. Join the crowd and pack a set in your eco-friendly personal item bag or eco-friendly carry-on bag. Simply wash when you get to your hotel.
4 – Upcycled Toiletry Bag
You need a toiletry bag for traveling, right? So why not make yours unique, stylish, eco-friendly and socially-economic friendly? The handmade, upcycled Serado Toiletry Bag is made from recycled materials, reducing impact on landfills, are waterproof, and supports local employment for family-run businesses in Cambodia. At this price, it’s a triple financial, social, and environmental win.
5 – Vegan Solid Shampoo & Conditioner Bars
Want to help the environment and save time in airport security lines? Try Ethique’s amazing solid toiletry bars. Ethique’s mission to reduce plastic waste is evident in their Eco-Friendly Solid Shampoo & Body Wash Bar and Eco-Friendly Solid Conditioner Bar.
Equivalent to 3 bottles of shampoo and 5 bottles of conditioner, these are made only from vegan, sustainably-sourced compostable ingredients and packaging promoting zero waste. A pair of these are surely to last many travels and help you in the liquids security check, saving you time in the airport for sure.
6 – Plastic-Free Bamboo Razor
A great gift for him OR her. Cut your use on disposable, plastic razors and opt for a Zomchí Double Edge Safety Eco-Razor. Made of metal and a bamboo handle, the razor holds reusable blades, cutting down on landfill trash. Just under $17, this razor will provide a lot more use than a throw-away razor.
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7 – Bamboo Toothbrushes (Set of 4)
Move aside plastic toothbrush. The new toothbrushing tool is here and it’s made of biodegradable, durable, and rapidly renewable bamboo. The Isshah Eco-Friendly Natural Bamboo Charcoal Toothbrush is one of many on the forefront of reducing toothbrush plastic and packaging waste. I have these and I love them. Buy a set for the whole family, travelers or not.
8 – 3-in-1 Biodegradable Facial Towelettes (3 Pack)
Alba Botanica, my personal favorite that I’ve used for over 15 years, believes in the ethical treatment of animals and no product is animal-tested (as attested through their earned Leaping Bunny certification). Their products are biodegradable, made of recycled materials, and use no microbeads.
Give the female traveler their Hawaiian 3-in-1 Clean Towelettes for easy makeup removal, cleaning, and toning. No need for separate toiletry bottles that can hold you up in airport security lines. These babies save a ton of space in your bag and forgoes the liquid check at security. Also, save on packaging and get her the 30-count bag. She’s going to love them.
9 – Reusable Collapsible Bags (Set of 4)
What can I say? I love Chico Bags. I have at least one in my purse at all times. Feather weight, compact, collapsible into its own bag, and a carabiner clip for easy attachment makes this little bag a perfect gift for anyone.
You can never have enough bags when you’re traveling. You never know when you need one for local farmer’s market or vendor shopping. Plus, what if you need that extra carry-on bag for gifts from your trip? Get the set of four as gifts (and keep one for yourself).
10 – Babbel Foreign Language Lessons
No packaging or wrapping required. Give the gift of learning a foreign language to help the world traveler you know navigate his or her next trip. Babbel offers online courses in 13 different languages and can even be done on the go on their mobile app. Purchase any of one to twelve month courses, but a six month course is a great value. I’ve used their courses to brush up on my Spanish. Quick and easy, learning a language is a great way to improve any international travel experience and meet new friends.
11 – iPhone Battery Case
Save the extra space and expense on an external iPhone charger and get it included in your iPhone case. A wise resource-reducing, planet-packaging idea to save the planet, the BOPPS iPhone Battery Case does just that while empowering mobile lifestyles.
Comes with 6000mAh battery capacity, easy mobility, and full, 360° bumper protection, this iPhone case is slim and lightweight and comes with an LED power meter. Available for multiple iPhone versions.
12 – Portable Solar Charger
Stop using electricity, which produces greenhouse gases, to charge your devices while traveling. Great for any type of travel or traveler, when you have a solar charger, like the BLAVOR Solar Power Bank, you are always in the ready and eco-friendly.
The charger is portable, compatible with multiple smartphone and tablet devices, and shock, splash and dust proof. Plus it has a flashlight. I use this on my travels and have not been let down yet. You won’t let your fellow traveler friends down with this purchase.
13 – Scrubba Wash Bag
Not just for camping, consider using this Scrubba Wash Bag in your hotel room for easy hand-washing. As CORR Travel notes how any traveler can eco-travel, many hotels’ laundry service may wash guests’ laundry separately, which is a huge waste of water.
Being able to do light laundry in your bathroom saves water and time. Trust me. It’s especially handy to those budget travelers.
14 – Carbon-Offset Air Travel
Once again, no gift-wrapping required, this gift can also be given in any dollar increment up to the amount of travel required. If you know anyone flying to their destination, consider purchasing them carbon offsetting for their air travel.
Carbon offsetting allows you to buy a certificate to reduce carbon emissions, a major contributor to climate change, which in turn contribute community projects across countries to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Purchasing carbon offsets can be done through the airline or through a third party, like MyClimate.org, Carbonfund.org, or terrapass. Check them out.
15 – Donate Eco-Friendly
Eco-friendly products don’t just have to be tangible. If you know a traveler who values sustainability and travel, why not donate your dollars to a local, environmental conservation or social justice organization in your eco-traveler’s name? For a bigger donation impact, consider donating on Giving Tuesday after Thanksgiving. If you’re unsure on what organization to choose, the following are some environmental, social and travel group suggestions:
Most organizations offer a tax deduction on gifts. Any donation amount helps!
Want One More Eco-Friendly Product Idea?
For the true eco-traveler and photography buff, this has got to be at the top of eco-friendly products. Try giving a compact, reliable and travel-must Canon Powershot G7X Mark II camera? I have this camera and love it. It helps me practice the eco-travel principle of:
“Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.” – Unknown
Let Me Hear From You
I would love to hear if any of these 15 eco friendly travel products worked for you. Post me your thoughts or questions in the Comments section below. Thank you!
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Gwen, CORR Concepts Founder
Gwen is a Sustainability professional with an MBA in Sustainable Enterprises and LEED AP ID+C accreditation from the GBCI. She is also the Founder of CORR Travel. As a Sustainability professional and Earth Steward, environmental sustainability and biodiversity protection is her “religion”. Travel is her passion.