‘Tis the season for so many things. This is the perfect time of the year to reconnect with family, give thanks for making it through the year, and making preparations for the year to come. 

With all this excitement, it is easy to forget the responsibilities we have towards the environment. We should maintain our zero waste lifestyle when traveling during this time. 

Being an eco-warrior is not always easy, we know this, but it is possible to enjoy your advent calendars and festive roasts without harming Mother Nature. Travelers interested in traveling with the environment in mind this festive season can reduce their carbon footprint. 

All you have to do is to consider some of our zero waste lifestyle tips

Remember, living a zero waste lifestyle is all about planning. If you have everything you need with you, you will not only save money, but you will do your share in saving our beautiful planet. Making use of eco friendly materials that you brought from home on your trip will discourage you from having to dispose of any product materials.

Pack Light

If you are reading this, we assume you care about how your lifestyle may affect our beautiful earth. You might carpool to work and encourage your children to walk or cycle to school or to their friends instead of calling them an Uber.  Making small changes in your daily lifestyle can make a big difference.

Thinking about the facts, it should come as no surprise that airplanes guzzle gas like a parched prisoner trapped in the desert. But we can all agree that air travel is sometimes unavoidable. So when you need to travel by airplane, try packing everything into a carry-on bag. Something this small can have a huge impact. A swollen suitcase that weighs a lot can impact the entire aircraft thus requiring more fuel.

Track the weather

We should admit, this is not an exact science, but we can imagine Mother Nature rolling her eyes whenever she sees people packing only shorts and vests when heading to the coast for the summer. 

Assuming that the weather is going to be sunny and tropical all summer long is folly. There will be summer rains, and they can be unpredictable. Just imagine having no warm clothes when those icy breezes and cold fronts hit. 

Check the weather forecast for your travel destination and pack for what that prediction is. Packing smart will influence the weight of your suitcase as well.

Prep food for the road

The easiest way to be eco friendly when traveling is to minimize your waste in the food department. Packing travel snacks into reusable plastic containers are the perfect zero waste lifestyle choice. When having this mindset, you will be less likely to purchase a muffin or sandwich wrapped in single-use plastic. 

Having a reusable container on hand is great! You can even save your apple cores and soft citrus skins for when you get home. They will be a great addition to your compost bin. Decant juices into glass bottles and keep your coffee warm in a reusable travel mug or flask.

Make use of reusable utensils

Since we are on the subject of food, packing a set of reusable eating utensils will work in your favor. We know you cannot insist flight attendants serve your in-flight meal on plates you provide, but at least you can decline those awful plastic sporks (spoon+fork) that are completely useless anyway.

If you do not have reusable utensils already, you can easily purchase them. There are a lot of great bamboo cutlery sets available.

Carry a handkerchief or cloth napkin

Planes are incubators of germs. Especially during the times we are in, it is important to have your health and others' health in mind, For 1.5+ hours, horribly sick and perfectly healthy humans share the same air until the cabin doors open. Buses can be just as bad because the travel time tends to be much longer. Many buses do not even have windows that can open. 

Instead of reaching for the napkin on your neighbor's tray table, or buying disposable facial tissues at the next refreshment stop, you can make use of a reusable handkerchief or cloth napkin that you can wash. 

Check out the items we have on our store to help with your single-use reduction 

Finding the perfect ring for your perfect day has never been so easy, not until you choose from MiaMira