Five ways to cut down on one-use plastics when travelling and reduce the mountains of trash
Flying may not be the most eco-friendly way to travel, but we can at least reduce our use of disposable, one-use plastic. From brushing your teeth to drinking water, here are five ways to cut down on plastic pollution
The next time you travel, consider how much plastic you use only once on airlines, and in fast-food restaurants and hotels. A water bottle or two, plastic spoons, straws, chopsticks, toothbrushes, wrapping on food, wine bottles, shopping bags and coffee cups (yes, they have plastic in them) all get used just once before being slung in the bin.
A United Nations report issued last week warned that our planet could be awash with 12 billion tonnes of plastic waste by the middle of the century. But plastic pollution is beginning to be addressed.
Concerned about its toxic impact, particularly on the oceans, pressure groups such as Travellers Against Plastic (Tap), the Plastic Pollution Coalition, and the Life Zero Cabin Waste Project are becoming more prominent.
“In Sri Lanka one operator is wrapping food in banana leaves instead of cling film, and an Egyptian hotel offers glass pots for jams and butter at breakfast instead of single use plastic pots,” says Justin Francis, CEO and Founder of Responsible Travel, which has just launched ‘plastics-free’ trips.
Isole Tremiti, a group of islands off the east coast of Italy, banned plastic plates, cups and utensils as of May 1 this year.
Being ‘plastic-free’ could also soon become a selling point for holiday packages. “As travellers, we see places spoilt by bins overflowing with plastic bottles and rubbish-strewn beaches and oceans,” says Francis. “The travel industry has a key role to play and we’re already seeing many pledges from travel companies to be plastic-free by a certain date.”
