13 Zero-Waste Travel Essentials to Pack This Holiday Season

by Sarah Mariotti December 19, 2019

Jet setting around the globe to explore new destinations may sound glamorous… until you pause to consider the carbon footprint. It’s something that’s clearly been weighing on Bella Hadid’s mind, because last month she announced her donation of 600 trees to be planted in California and the Amazon—20 for each flight she had taken in the three months prior. “It makes me sad how much my job effects my carbon footprint,” she wrote, which of course got us thinking about the environmental impact of our own travels, whether personal or professional.

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Donating 600 trees to be planted , 20 for each flight I took these past 3 months and probably will continue for the rest of the year.It makes me sad how much my job effects my carbon footprint and of how brutally climate change is obviously effecting the world. Mother Nature needs some love…??? I’ll be starting with my home in California ( 129 million trees need to be restored re: wildfires, 1.3 million acres burned) and of course the Amazon for the most recent wildfires, but please reach out and let me know which locations need to be shown some love as well , all regions welcome?? Africa, Asia, North America, and Latin America? this is so exciting and interesting to me, that even though I’m not physically there, trees are being brought to life in the most incredible places that are in demand of them! it’s the air we breathe, the water we drink, the biodiversity and animal life we need..??? I know it’s not much , but when I fly, I look out the window and see so many beautiful, extensive forests, so much land and trees but also so much that needs lots of help.. think about the animals too? anyways . once I get home I’m definitely planting my own tree outside. so inspired by my friends ?????? ps I did some research and onetreeplanted.org is probably the easiest website I’ve found to donate to multiple regions at the same time, if you’re interested:)

A post shared by Bella (@bellahadid) on Nov 27, 2019 at 11:44am PST

Cutting back on just one or two flights can bring your carbon footprint down by 10 to 20 per cent, and according to The New York Times, a round-trip from the East Coast to the West Coast generates roughly 20 per cent of the greenhouse gasses a car emits in an entire year.

However, sometimes flights and long car rides are unavoidable, especially during the holidays. If you’ve got to fly, consider buying a direct flight ticket as planes burn the most fuel during takeoff and landing. You can also purchase a carbon offset to counter the emissions produced from your flight. Apart from that, consider the smaller ways in which you can be kind to the environment, specifically in your packing habits. Whether you’re heading home to the family, planning a beach getaway or embarking on a road trip, this curated shopping guide will help you stock up on sustainable travel essentials, making it easy to dodge the single-use items we mindlessly receive or purchase on planes or at airports and hotels. With that, browse our 13 favourite zero-waste travel side-kicks, from a roll-up tote bag made of recycled nylon (for those spur-of-the-moment purchases you’ll inevitably come home with) to a collapsible coffee cup you can keep in your purse for whenever a caffeine craving strikes.