It’s summer vacation! If you travel, don’t forget to take your earth-friendly, sustainable practices with you. Wherever you go, remember to reduce, reuse, and recycle. With a little bit of planning, you can make a big difference in the amount of waste you produce while traveling. Here are some suggestions to get you starting on making your vacation green:

• Bring a water bottle! – Stay hydrated with reusable water bottles so you don’t have to buy bottled water.  
• Bring snacks in reusable containers – Traveling often requires snacks on the go. It may be tempting to buy individually packaged snacks, but you’re probably also buying non-recyclable packaging. Whether you’re traveling by car or plane, it’s easy to bring snacks like trail mix and vegetables in reusable containers. It’s not only a more sustainable option, but a cheaper one as well.
• Use reusable travel toiletries bottles – Travel sized toiletries waste a lot of plastic. When flying, carry your toiletries in TSA-friendly reusable travel bottles.
• Keep a recyclables bag – If you’re going on a road trip or camping, keep a bag for recyclables in the car. If there are no recycling bins on your stops, bring the bag back with you and empty it in your curbside bin.
• Learn the local recycling system – Take note of the local recycling rules where you’re traveling and make sure to follow them.

Get information on recycling in King County here.

Image from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach