From shampoo bars to tooth tabs, we love the liquid-free alternatives when traveling. This also helps cut on water weight for you extreme backpackers out there. It’s great for air travel too, especially if you’re like me and have a hundred different face creams for your problematic skin and need to fit them in a one liter bag.
Zero Waste Backpacking Tips
- Save the sample containers and use them for storing toiletries. For a long time, I was really into trying out different cosmetics to find the best of the best. Now I look for good enough. I have better things to do with my time than scour the internet for the silver bullet to the world’s best skin serum/eye cream/toner/etc. (hint, so do you). Better yet, the zero waste stores I frequent fortunately carry all kinds of organic skincare products that I can buy without creating waste (I bring my own containers). Also, think about how many different products are out there. You will never be able to try them all, but in your attempt, you end up creating a lot of waste and feeling ultimately unfulfilled (okay sometimes you’re fulfilled but then they discontinue the product or does this just happen to me every time I find a product I absolutely love?).
- Beeswax wrap makes for a great, lightweight way to store backpacking snacks. I eat pretty healthy so I’ll use it to wrap up some chopped up carrots, the cooked whole potato (for which I’m teased relentlessly by one of my backpacking friends, Meredith) I always bring, or Mary’s Gone Crackers (I’m talking out-before-summiting “Gone.” Love these things.). Yes mine look a little beat up, but only because they are so well-loved.
Handling old gear
If you can’t sell it or donate it because it’s in such poor condition, consider donating things such as tents, sleeping bags, and clothing to Goodwill or Salvation Army. Both recycle textile. If it’s a little more complicated than that, Google it. Some things may need to be repurposed so they don’t end up in the landfill. Check out some ideas here.
*Author’s Note: Meredith convinced me to replace my whole potato with powdered potatoes, which I now bring in one of these 4 oz. Stasher bags.
