Going Green: Organic Accessories

It's time for an eco-travel makeover by Kevin Raub


Having already documented that travel is the bane of our already fragile atmosphere's existence in regards to co2 emissions this past summer (See Going Green, August); and, as a professional traveler, the unlikelihood of curbing my movement anytime soon, I started thinking about other, less immobilizing ways to become a more eco-conscious and responsible traveler. There are many ways to become greener on the go, most of which transcend travel altogether and work for all walks of life, so I will stick to some of the less obvious things here. For example, you know it's a waste (and much more expensive) to drive your SUV to the airport when you could take a bus or carpool. I'm not here to patronize. But did you know you could be carrying vegan luggage instead of Tumi? And, for the record, I'm not advocating veganism. This is not a food column (if you can watch something like Earthlings and remain a carnivore, like I did, more power to you).

At risk of biting one of the hands that feeds me, do you really need to run out and buy a new guidebook every time you travel? Perhaps a friend has one you can borrow, or maybe, by some grace of God, you might remember what a library is and, more of a miracle still, might know where one is located. Take recycling into your own hands and check one out instead of buying. Alternatively, Lonely Planet (an eco-conscious company for which I, in the interest of full disclosure, am an author) has begun offering digital guidebooks (in PlayStation Portable and MP3 formats, for example) or Pick & Mix PDF chapters from their guidebooks, saving you money and time and the company paper. For the full effect, don't print them; store and read them on your Crackberry.
Kiss my face
Next up, ditch the chemicals, both in your toiletry bag and ones that come as hotel amenities. My Dopp kit almost entirely consists of green products, from my Jason Healthy Mouth toothpaste to my Kiss My Face Start Up exfoliating face wash to my certified organic MiEssence shaving gel and after-shave balm. I always take them with me for two reasons: In countries with lesser than forward-thinking outlooks on saving the environment, I like to do my part by seeing that organic products go down their drains; and using little one or two-ounce travel size products from L'Occitane are not eco-friendly and almost always go to waste.
 

Sativa Bags Place your Dopp kit full of eco-conscious product into your sustainable luggage. Sativa Bags sells Hemp wheeled suitcases, duffle bags, brief cases, backpacks, and camera bags. Abundant Earth sells hemp and recycled tire rubber bags, backpacks, fanny packs, and even travel pillows. You can probably even find a new Dopp kit.

  A lot of fuss has been made lately on the subject of bottled water. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom recently banned bottled water for purchase by city funds, citing the city's tap water as just fine and the bogging down of landfill space with usually non-recyclable plastic. That's great for San Francisco, but it won't exactly work for Siam. So, instead of dropping hundreds of baht on bottle after bottle of water, bring your own bottle - the stainless steel wide-mouth bottle from Guyot Designs is a 100% recyclable alternative to Nalgene and its polycarbonate - and refill it from one large bottle of water you keep in your hotel. Save money. Save plastic. Save face. Better yet, bring your own bottle with a built-in filtration system. Pure Water 2Go has a 16 oz jobby that treats up to 40 gallons. Fill it with tap from Thailand to Trinidad and Tobago.

Guyot Designs

Lastly, leave the car at home. I know I said I wouldn't patronize, but some folks simply don't know how to get to the airport on their own. There are many ways to go (friends, shared-ride vehicles, taxis, all of which do nearly as much damage as your Hummer). Luckily, better ways are on the horizon. In New York City, Hitchsters connects folks in Manhattan and Brooklyn to share rides to/from the airport (expansion to other U.S. cities is in the works) while in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C., those spoiled by car services can go with Eco Limo, a car service specializing                                     in hybrid and bio-diesel vehicles. Think HOV, not SUV, or we'll all be SOL.

 
 

Kevin Raub is a freelance travel and entertainment writer who contributes regularly to Travel+Leisure, Town & Country, American Way, and Organic Spa, among others. He has been slowly and methodically going green since a wise old acquaintance once pointed out that coffee filters were white because they were bleached, adding, “Do you like bleach in your coffee?"

 

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