School is out for the summer and many of us are preparing to go away on our family holiday. At home, most of us have taken great steps in reducing plastic use – but that can be disrupted when we go on holiday. So how can you travel sustainably and be eco- friendly when travelling? Here are eight things to pack for a family holiday to help lower plastic use and choose brands which are looking to help the planet – rather than add to its problems.
*This post contains some affiliate links which means if you purchase, I’ll earn a small commission to help with the running of this site – at no cost to you.
Swim wear
At the heart of most family holidays, there’s usually a swimming pool and beach, right? My daughter is obsessed with swimming! Her love has been enhanced after getting a this amazing ladybird swimsuit from online brand Maru.
The 30-year old British brand has a huge range of colourful swimwear for the whole family and strong sustainability credentials. It has a low carbon footprint, the swimwear is printed digitally to cut water and waste and its inks are free from harmful chemicals.
Maru’s high quality fabric offers everything you’d look for: ultraviolet protection of 50 +, chlorine resistant and pill resistant. It seems built to last and so far the costume has been very well received by my 6 year-old daughter. I’m sure it will get used again with my youngest daughter when she is older.
Maru also has a ‘Black Pack’ range of eco-friendly suits which are made from ECONYL®, a fibre made of 100% regenerated nylon from consumer waste, including ghost fishing nets, nylon scraps and carpet fluff found in our oceans. For this range, Maru donates all its profits to the Sea Life Trust. How good is that?
Water Bottle
The plastic bottle problem is huge and something most of us are cutting down on by using refillable bottles. Stainless steel water bottles are the popular eco-friendly choice no-one likes to be seen without!
Most can last for up to 12 years, I have one from Swell while Hydrate is another popular brands with a great range of colourful bottles. If you’re travelling by air, most UK airports have a water fountain to fill them up after clearing security so you aren’t forced to buy plastics. I usually take a travel mug with me too as I can’t bare using disposable mugs for tea and coffee. The Sept Miracle mug hasn’t leaked on me yet and keeps drinks hot for 12 hours.
Water Purifier
The added problem when travelling, is being unable to drink the tap water in many countries. So what do you do when you’re in a hot, foreign country and buying water in bulk seems the only option? Step up the Berkley travel water filter.
This ingenious invention makes water anywhere drinkable, purifying it and taking out harmful viruses, bacteria and heavy metals. My friend, Jacqui, who is living a plastic-free life has used the Berkley – with her two young children – on her family travels to places such as Sri Lanka, Greece, Croatia and Spain. You can follow her journey for inspiration on Instagram.
The cost may look pricey at first glance but it comes with two filters which purify 6,000 gallons of water – working out half a penny per litre. In the long run, this product is likely to save you money. Most importantly, it stops plastic bottles being sent to landfill and making their way into the eco-system. Many countries do not have the same recycling system as we do here in the UK.
Sun cream
For many years I have used the ABC baby care mineral sunscreen from Vegan brand Arbonne which formulates with safe, ethically sourced ingredients. The sunscreen has a good, thick texture so lasts longer than most and has a plant-based natural SPF made without chemicals. It can be used by the whole family too.
Arbonne has big environmental credentials: it is a carbon-neural company, all its packaging is recyclable and it is committed to reducing plastic by 50% by 2025 and to zero waste by 2030. You can read more about its ingredient policy here.
Mosquito repellent
When I was pregnant I started using the Incognito range of mosquito repellent. It uses a DEET-free formula which is safe for the whole family and pregnant women. Using products with high levels of DEET and chemicals can be harmful for us and the environment. Incognito also smells far better than chemical alternatives and is still as effective. It comes in recyclable bottles with a spray and roll on verison (which is a hit with my kids) and a soap bar in its range.
Wet Wipes
Anyone who watched the BBC1 War on Plastic programme would have been shocked to see the extent of the UK’s wet wipes obsession. Most wipes are made up of plastic – something we are not told on the packaging.
Nappies
How many disposable nappies are taken to landfill everyday? I shudder to think. By the time a child is potty trained, they have used between 4,000 and 6,000 nappies. Many disposable nappies many contain plastic and can take 500 years to biodegrade.
I use Naty biodegradable nappies which are just as effective as other brands (again, usually cheaper if you buy in bulk from Amazon). Naty also do biodegradable nappy sacks which come in handy for many reasons when travelling.
Snack containers
One of the must-have essentials for travelling with children is… SNACKS. No journey should be attempted without them to hand! As an alternative to plastic zip locks, we use eco-friendly bamboo containers and have recently been introduced to Yumbox Panino. It is a Bento-style lunchbox with compartments to put sandwiches, fruit and snacks in. They cut the need for plastic packaging and are a hit with children who love things with compartments. They come in a variety of colours.
Those are eight eco-friendly family holiday essentials to add to your packing list. Items which will help you travel more ethically and avoid single-use plastics. Every bit helps and the small changes each family can make will have a big impact when compounded together.
Enjoy your travels – wherever you are going – and I hope you’ve found these tips useful when packing for a family trip. If you have other suggestions for ethical and plastic-free travel, do please comment below.
*My two daughters were given a Maru swim suit in return for an honest review.
**This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase, I’ll earn a small commission to help with the running of this site – at no cost to you.
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