Comments on: How to Use Less Plastic When You Travel

By: Jenny at EatWanderExplore

Jenny at EatWanderExplore — Wed, 02 Jan 2019 10:09:51 +0000

These are all great tips! We’re currently in Cape Town and it seems like all the restaurants here are boasting of their non-plastic straw commitment. We either don’t receive a straw, or they have biodegradable or paper straws on offer. There are also bamboo toothbrushes at the registers in the pharmacies/chemists/drug stores. It’s great to see companies doing their part too.

By: World Travel Family Team

World Travel Family Team — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 15:43:06 +0000

In reply to Stephanie Frias. Since I decided to not accept plastic bags, I haven't needed one, not even once. A simple, fast, effective saving. It's so easy and thousands of people like us are doing their best. We can fix this!

By: Stephanie Frias

Stephanie Frias — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 14:17:23 +0000

Yes! This has been on mind a lot lately after we have seen the devastating amounts of pollution in South America, especially in Peru. We had made many pledges towards reducing our own footprint before we the left the United States. But, it so difficult traveling. Everything is handed to you in plastic bag. Everything. We watched a documentary the other day about plastic grocery bags and that it takes 20 years before they start to disintegrate. I started crying. We need to spread awareness and I felt that as educated travelers we are dishonoring the planet by not speaking out. We don’t need to be aggressive and flamboyant about it but we can gently spread awareness by opting out of plastic. Ironically, I made this proclamation in the car just YESTERDAY morning. In the afternoon, we went to the local market and were stunned to find Tupperware. It was expensive. It was a sign. $10 for one medium bowl with a lid. We spend on that much on six meals for the family in South America. Yet, I am sure we will have it for 10 years or more. This is how we begin our journey against “disposable” plastic. From now on we will tote this bowl everywhere and when we buy street food or local lunches that are served in plastic and styrofoam we will give them our own bowl. I can’t wait to search for wooden toothbrushes!

By: Alyson Long for World Travel Family

Alyson Long for World Travel Family — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 06:02:02 +0000

In reply to Jamei. Criticizing? Who was criticizing? Jeez, we lived in Vietnam for 6 months, without a car, we now live in a 100 year old wooded house in Romania, without a car, without heating and buy all our food from the villagers( and refuse a plastic bag for our home produced bread or tomatoes every time, which makes them laugh, but that's OK, they're our friends and neighbours). When we live in London we also do it without a car. We don't buy stuff we don't need either. Maybe find out about other people's carbon footprint before YOU critisise. We're addressing our fellow travellers here, the people who can and should make an effort to not use plastics. And we're not American.

By: Jamei

Jamei — Wed, 18 Jul 2018 16:02:05 +0000

I don’t think wealthy, first world people should criticize how the poor live their lives. It’s easy to pick on them for plastic bags. However, if you really wanted to reduce your carbon footprint, why don’t you stop traveling? That has enormous carbon footprint.

Finally, you aren’t teaching your kids anything if you travel to another country and then criticize them for not having the same values as a first-worlder. Well, yes, you are teaching them something. You are teaching them to be an intolerant, condescending person lacking in empathy.

When I traveled in Asia, I was struck by how compassionate and forgiving the culture is. Far more than the US. It’s a shame you didn’t point that out to your kids, instead,