As the world of travel gradually reopens, the motto of travelling consciously should once again take centre-stage. This plastic-free July, imbibe these easy tips in your next domestic road trip and take a big green leap towards sustainability. By Bayar Jain
While we’re all for taking the sustainable route all year long, plastic-free July holds a special place in our hearts. Since its inception in 2011, these 31 days are meant to serve as a reminder to reduce dependency on the environment killers. While domestic road trips set the wheels in motion to revive travelling in the country, it’s imperative for us to strap on our green seatbelts and pack away the plastics while on-the-go.
1. Binge on homemade snacks
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One of the biggest charms of taking a road trip is the roadside snacks and eateries that lure you to binge. However, more often than not, these roadside stalls sell snacks in single-use plastics. Think chocolate wrappers, chips’ packets, or cold drinks in PET bottles. The best way to reduce dependency (and the urge) to buy these plastics is to pack your favourite snacks in small reusable containers. Foods such as cut fruits, fresh juices, homemade tea cakes, biscuits, etc. are ideal. This way you’ll not only be travelling a little bit more consciously, but you’ll also have food readily available anytime your stomach roars!
2. Carry your own water
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Probably one of the silliest mistakes we can make while travelling is to rely on bottled water to quench our thirst. Consider investing in non-plastic portable dispensers (such as copper or steel, which is great to maintain your drink’s original temperature). Alternatively, you could even opt for a good portable filter bottle for long-haul road trips. In such scenarios, you can simply keep refilling your bottle with any naturally available water, and wait for the bottle’s inbuilt filter to work its magic. You can even pack along water purification tablets for an added dose of safety.
3. Pack your own cutlery
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On the off-chance when you don’t find any cafes or restaurants along your route, a street-side eatery is your best bet. The chances of these small hangouts relying on plastic cutlery to serve food are high. To combat this, whip out your home-bought silverware. Once done, you could wipe the plates using a cloth napkin or wash it off using water.
4. Ditch the plastic bag when you shop
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The lure of local trinkets during a road trip is hard to avoid, but the accompanying plastic bags while shopping for them can be ditched easily. Make reusable cloth bags your style statement, and flaunt them around wherever you go. When your inner shopoholic reveals itself, stash your roadside buys in this eco-friendly alternative.
Related:#TnlRoadTrips: Your Ultimate Guide To The Greatest Road Trips In India
Written By
Bayar Jain
Senior Content ManagerEquipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing ..Read More
