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After nearly a year of lockdown, we've all begun to feel the urge to get outside and explore new places. More importantly, we’ve started to rethink how we travel. With more people choosing to hit the road and explore the beautiful outdoors, one of the most positive changes we can make in our travel habits is to prioritize sustainable practices.
Recently, some of our Proud Source team temporarily moved to Florida (with a 3-year-old!) to continue spreading the ripple effect and to see our new spring location. While preparing for the 5-day road trip ahead, we felt a responsibility to be more conscious about the impact we were going to have on our environment and travel as responsibly as possible.
We came up with a list of items that are typically used on a road trip: straws, water bottles, ziplock bags for snacks, and cutlery. Next, we found some sustainable brands that provide sustainable alternatives to these essential travel products. This took some pre-planning, but in the long run, it was worth it, not only for our conscience, but for the future of our environment.
Here are 5 simple ways you can travel more sustainably to create a lasting, positive impact next time you hit the road:
1. Bring a reusable straw. We recommend Final Straw.
We never leave the house without our Final Straw. Anyone that has seen that image of the sea turtle ingesting a plastic straw probably knows why.
One question we noticed that was frequently asked while on the road was, “Would you like a straw?” The convenience of a straw while driving often makes it hard to say no, but having a collapsible, reusable straw made it easy to say, “No, thank you!”
Final Straw is on a mission to reduce plastic straw use by giving people a convenient, collapsible, reusable alternative. It comes in a cute case with a cleaning brush, too. 100% worth the $19.95 investment.
2. Put all your snacks in (re)zip bags.
When we’re on the road, we love packing all the healthy snacks and organizing smaller items in Ziplocs. Using plastic Ziploc bags has always been something that we have felt guilty about, so we got a 5-pack of reusable (Re)zip bags from Target and LOVE them. We packed fruit, cheese and other snacks in the bags for the car ride and also used them to organize smaller toiletry items and jewelry.
Once we got to our destination, we were able to wash them out and have been reusing them since. (Re)Zip is on a mission to provide thoughtful designs and creative solutions for a greener, simpler life. Each bag equals 300 Ziploc bags, and trust me when I say that it feels so good to reuse.
3. Bring reusable silverware, like this GoEat cutlery set from Joseph Joseph.
Living on the road for five days, reusable cutlery was the item we were most surprised about how much we needed. Since we were eating on the road, we knew that we would be offered plastic silverware, but having Joseph Joseph reusable cutlery helped us to know that we were doing our part in being “green.”
The GoEat Cutlery Set from Joseph Joseph comes with a stainless steel fork, spoon and knife all neatly wrapped in a magnetic carrying case, making it perfect for travel. A true win-win for us and the environment.
4. Stay hydrated with vital minerals in a refillable water bottle.
Having a sustainable bottled water business, using a refillable water bottle seems like a no brainer. But we have to admit, there have been times we forgot our Proud Source Water or Hydro Flask when traveling. In order to survive 5 days of traveling, hydration is key. So, a bottle that you can easily refill and drink on the go is a necessity to avoid single-use plastic.
We are constantly refilling our Hydro flasks with Proud Source Water. Although Proud is our business, we love it so much that we are subscribers and a part of the Ripple Effect program! So we always have Proud water stocked in our car. We love knowing that we aren’t adding plastic to the environment and hydrating with mineral rich water. Another win-win and something we can truly feel good about.
5. Eco-Drive- Plant trees and offset your carbon emissions while on the road.
Driving the furthest distance of the US (from the north west to the south east) was something we only talked about as kids but driving from Boise, Idaho to Miami, Florida our dream was pretty much a reality.
Although driving is more sustainable than flying, it still has a negative impact on the environment. In order to do our part, and off-set our carbon footprint, we partnered with Eco-Drive (through Curio’s partnership!). Eco Drive offsets carbon emissions by planting mangrove trees. Mangroves are one of the highest carbon reducing tree types on the planet. Aside from carbon reduction, they also contribute to the alleviation of poverty in the regions that they are planted. Eco Drive’s mission is to help others feel good behind the wheel knowing that our car's emissions are offset. Doing our part against climate change, while driving, made the 5 days worth it!
By prioritizing sustainability, we are creating lasting habits and helping to teach our son the importance of taking care of our world. Plus, it feels good knowing we are doing what we can for the future of our planet.
Send us your sustainable travel tips. We would love to hear them! Contact us