When you travel and move around as much as I do, it’s good to carry items that are long lasting and good for the environment. I am aware that a lot of travelling increases my carbon footprint so I try to live a green and simple life with minimal impact on the environment.

“Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mooncup
The Mooncup is possibly the best thing my Mum has ever bought me for my birthday (maybe, except for those awesome Crayola stamper pens when I was a kid!). Before this, I did Camp America and that’s where I first heard about it. There was a super eco American camp leader who raved on about it. At first I thought it sounded completely gross but the more I used tampons I soon realised that they weren’t really making me feel  good and made me dread my monthly period. The environmental impact of sanitary products is also shocking and having just turned vegetarian for the same reasons, I think it was time to consider a Mooncup. It took a while to get used to it but after a couple of periods, I actually started annoying people by telling them how amazing it is. It has totally changed my perspective on my periods as it is totally low maintenance and allowed me to become more comfortable with my body and it’s monthly flow. There is no leakage, no peeing on the string and no gross faffing in public toilets. It only needs emptying in the morning and before bed so ideally when you are at home or somewhere you feel comfortable. Seriously, sounds gross but it is actually the best thing I own! A Mooncup costs £21.99 which sounds expensive at first but think how much you pay for disposable sanitary products each month and the Mooncup will last for years and years if looked after properly.

If you’re interested in buying a Mooncup then click here!

Photo from http://www.mooncup.co.uk

Koh Lipe Stainless Steel Water Bottle
When I’m travelling in a hot country, I always want access to fresh clean water to ensure I’m hydrated. When I get dehydrated I get poorly easily, especially in humid Asian countries. When Pete and I were travelling around South East Asia, we stopped by the beautiful island of Koh Lipe. It’s the perfect Thai island with gorgeous white sand beaches, excellent snorkelling and relaxing vibes. We stayed at Cafe Lipe where the owner was heavily involved with the Trash Hero movement. As well as weekly litter picks, Trash Hero has also produced stainless steel bottles to help reduce the amount of plastic bottles on the island and on other Asian islands. When you purchase a bottle (£4), you have access to local businesses with fresh, cold water dispensers. I am really happy to see that this idea is spreading to UK and hope it works! My Koh Lipe bottle goes everywhere with me.

Koh Lipe bottle

Technical Travel Towel
I bought my first micro fibre travel towel when I first travelled abroad (without my parents) back in 2007. It was a camping trip around Switzerland, travelling by trains and buses. I needed to make sure all my belongings fitted into a small rucksack and normal bathroom towels are so bulky and take so long to dry. I bought a blue micro fibre travel towel from Mountain Warehouse in the sale (when does that shop not have a sale?) and have never looked back. It is perfect for taking on the beach, the poolside and out hiking to sit on whilst having a picnic. When I stay in hostels I also use my own towels so it saves on their laundry and saves water! Since then I have also bought a pink travel towel that has a softer texture and dries your body better. I take them both with me on any trip. They pack down really small and dry super quickly.

My trusty travel towels

Lowe Alpine Rucksack
My travel rucksack is like my baby and I love it! I got it for my 19th birthday as I was looking for a smaller, more compact rucksack that I could take on as hand luggage if necessary, but could also bulk it out if needed. The Lowe Alpine rucksack I have is perfect for travelling. It is probably more of a mountaineering rucksack rather than sepcialising in travel but it comes in handy when I do any long distance walks. It is so comfortable and fits my back shape. Rucksacks can be a personal purchase so make sure you buy one that fits you and is in the higher budget range as they will definitely last longer. Mine is from the ‘Alpine Ascent’ range and the capacity is 35 litres but it can be extended to 45 litres. The new range has some gorgeous looking rucksacks and I definitely recommend Lowe Alpine.

Island hopping in Greece

Getting old but still the best

Winding through the medina, Marrakesh

Lush Shampoo Bars
These are great if you are wild camping on your travels as there are ideal for bathing using fresh or sea water (taken away from the natural site). They are made up of natural ingredients, essential oils and safe synthetics. You can buy a small tin to keep it in to protect it from getting damaged, so there are no more shampoo explosions in your rucksack after a flight. It is so light and compact, I find it is much better than lugging around a plastic bottle of shampoo. Most importantly, there is no animal testing and no plastic wastage!

Photo from http://www.uk.lush.com

Reusable Shopping Bag
I also make sure that I stick a small reusable bag in my rucksack too. These come in handy for shopping for when you’re camping or self-catering whilst travelling. I love that the UK now charges 5p for plastic bags in supermarkets, finally catching up with the rest of Europe. Reusable bags are particularly handy whilst travelling through South East Asia too as market vendors will always give you a plastic bag no matter how small your purchase. The odd plastic bag can come in useful when carrying wet swimming stuff or lining your hiking rucksack in bad weather but reducing the amount of them in the environment is nothing but a great thing. You can get really cool printed reusable bags now and this one was given to me by a friend who knows I love bikes.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and I hope it gave you some ideas on how to be more green whilst travelling. We’ve got to remember to keep this planet beautiful whilst admiring it’s beauty. Check out my instagram to see where I’m travelling.