Road Tripping, The Eco-Friendly Way
We’re rolling into a ROAD TRIP!
Fun fact about me: I LOVE ROAD TRIPS! But, I’ve noticed through the years that these small adventures lend themselves to a lot of waste and trash.
So this time, I’m changing that.
As always, being prepared is the key to an eco friendly lifestyle. What makes being eco friendly easy this time is that for road trips, you’re generally always prepared.
So let’s discuss a few key tips on how to turn your road trip adventure into one that’s both amazing for you AND the environment!
The most important tip: BE PREPARED
ONE: ESSENTIALS (please don’t leave home without these)
You’ll need to make sure you have a few key items: license, registration, insurance, your car manual, a map (because sometimes wifi doesn’t exist), and a spare tire. I have used my license and registration on a road trip once (thank you Officer Mercy for fully understanding that “Don’t Stop Believing” is my power song and I had no clue I was going 80 in a 60). So let’s hope that none of these items are used, but it’s important that you have them with you just in case.
TWO: HOPE FOR THE BEST, PLAN FOR THE WORST
We would like to think that we are all clean, organized, humans *insert laughter.* False. Road trips bring out the mess in us, it’s alright. What does this mean? It means you’ll need these:
- Towels/Rags
- Paper Towels
- Baby Wipes
- Trash Bags
- Toilet Paper
- Reusable Water Bottle
- Reusable Coffee Mug
- Glass or Steel Tupperware
- Reusable Cutlery + napkin
- Reusable Straws
Reusable towels and rags are perfect for small spills and wiping hands throughout the journey. I normally use kitchen rags, but for trips like this, will use old t-shirts that I’ve cut up into rag form. Old t-shirts are awesome for absorption and a big “yay!” for repurposing. Keep a bag in the bag of the car for items that can get washed along the way.
*NOW, I don’t use paper towels at home, but I’m going to say that a road trip is a perfectly acceptable time to whip those bad boys out. For big messes (i.e. spilled drinks), paper towels are simply the best when you’re on the go. I linked my favorite paper towels above.
Having reusable water bottles, coffee tumblers, food containers, and cutlery is a big eco-saver. I have never been denied at a restaurant or coffee shop when asked if they’ll put my drink in a reusable cup. Most of the time, places will wash out your cup for you, which is nice. Also, on the road we tend to get a lot of food to-go, so as a way to avoid extra trash, we are bringing our own containers.
NEXT:
- An emergency medical kit. I have used my emergency medical kit a few times. Mine includes the normal bandaids, wraps, neosporin, advil, but also contains bug spray, body glue, and safety pins. Shit happens. Be prepared.
- Umbrella
- Blanket
THREE: SNACKS ON SNACKS
Personally, I’m a grazer. I eat all damn day. So for me, I’m bringing a variety of fruits and veggies that I got from the farmer’s market, homemade granola bars, and some goodies from Trader Joes.
The beauty of most fruit is that nature has pre-wrapped them for you, so no plastic is necessary. For the veggies, I’m pre-washing carrots and celery, chopping them, and putting them in one of the glass containers that I’ll re-use down the road.
If you’re new to our blog, now is a good time to tell you that we are not perfect, but are simply trying to do better. With that said, here’s my plastic consumption in the form of Trader Joe’s snacks: a bag of pretzels, Inner Peas, and their Cheddar Popcorn (if you don’t know about this, GO GET SOME NOW). Sometimes it’s just too hard (and joy-killing) to avoid everything that uses plastic. Live your life, I promise it’s okay.
FOUR: PACKING
Packing can be stressful, especially when trying to figure out what toiletries you’ll need and want over the course of a week or two. In terms of toiletries, here are my eco go-to’s that I love:
- Shampoo Bar
- Conditioner Bar
- Toothpaste in a jar
- Bamboo Toothbrush
- Dental Lace
- Deodorant
- Body Wipes
- Moisturizer
- Face wash
- Razor
- Period Cup
- Sunscreen
Clothing:
- Blue jeans
- Black jeans
- White t-shirt
- Black t-shirt
- blouse
- Flannel
- Two tank tops for layering
- Leggings
- Workout gear
- Swim suit
- One semi-dressy getup like a floral dress
- Jean jacket
- Sweater
- Hoodie
- Short socks and long socks
- Underwear and a bra cause...duhh
Shoes:
- Sandals--generally one’s that are waterproof
- Workout shoes --good for hiking, gym, and comfy for driving
- Converse
- Booties