July is Plastic Free, but do you know what else July is? 

July is big month for holidays and travel which creates major challenges for even the most conscious earth hero to reduce their waste.

We feel you.  It can be VERY tough and frustrating to reduce your waste when travelling.

Here are 5 ideas to help you reduce your summer holiday waste.

1. Research sustainable hotel options If you have not already booked your room, research before-hand to find hotels paving the way for reducing unnecessary waste within their industry. In recent years many large hotel chains have made the move to increase their sustainability, however depending on your travel location it is best to verify with the specific hotel.
2. Help hotels understand how they can assist your stay be a sustainable stay! If you are already booked at a hotel and it has no sustainable mission, you can call the hotel ahead of time and ask them to NOT place those little travel soaps and shampoos in your room. You may simply think “if I don’t use it then what is the big deal?”  We can’t trust that the unused items are not throw out after each use, better to simply request that housekeeping keeps those pesky little items out of your room.  AND if they STILL put those little bottles in your room - make a mental note for the future & take those little bottles for future travel or donate to a local organization that would appreciate them.
3. Leave the big bottles at home. Hauling jugs of hygiene products around is heavy & risky; who hasn’t had a bottle of shampoo dump inside their bag?  If you have small empty bottles hanging around,  get creative. Maybe an empty spice bottle, medicine bottle or small glass jars – simply fill those with your existing shampoo & body needs.  If this is not an option, our solids are a great travel companion. Our favourite is the 3 in 1 by jack59
4. Pack a cooler. Packing a cooler for road snacks and roadside picnics is a great way to reduce waste and maintain a healthy diet while on the road. It may not always work, and a fast-food stop may be necessary (you know, the 6 pack of donut holes to hopefully tie the kiddos over for that LAST hour of the trip), but one can try to have best intentions. Pack along large reusable water bottles and refuse to order a drink. It is not perfect, but it is one less cup, or many, in our landfill!
5. Thrift before you camp! Camping can cause a lot of waste. Hit up your local thrift shop for light weight metal plates, cups as well as utensils.  Need a few extra blankets to stay warm? Thrift stores always have an abundance of linens. Giving items a second life = less virgin materials being used to create new ones. 

These are just a few tips on how to live a more sustainable summer.

They are easy to implement for your next summer trip. Remember, reducing your waste is not supposed to be stressful, a few small little tweaks here and there from each of us make a huge difference.