Oh to be on the road again. This quarantine is making my wanderlust grow every day. I live full time in a van with my husband, cat and our new puppy. We have been wandering the United States and Canada since August 2018, we have crossed the US up, down and sideways then to Alaska and back. Our current road trip is to drive to South America in our van. We started March 1st so made it to La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico before this disease took over the earth. Pretty terrible timing. Still have to say this is the most wild experience waiting out a pandemic in Mexico. I thought by now we would be in Guatemala at least but it’s looking like we’ll stay in Mexico until our visas expire, the full six months. This situation is absolutely no problem for us as Mexico is cheap and has amazing fruits and veg. Like everyone else, we just wish we could get out there. In the mean time we can all plan our future road trips, hikes, climbs, and beach days at home.

The easiest and cheapest way to zero waste is to think ahead.

Before leaving home fill up your water bottles – it’s never fun to run out of water on a road trip and have to buy plastic. I use old big kombucha bottles. I haven’t had kombucha in months but the bottle is still used everyday!

The perfect road trip starts with a trip to the grocery to get all the snacks and meals. Bringing your bags is a must. Plastic bags are very dangerous for marine life and remembering your own grocery and produce bags is a simple way to help animals and the environment. Let your produce go nude if you forget!

Make sure your tire pressure is on point. This will help your fuel efficiency, less fuel is more money in your pocket and less emissions.

Take your time and enjoy the scenery. It’s better for your wallet and the planet to drive slower. when going over 60mph your fuel efficiency and miles per gallon go way down.

When you get to your first stop for some food and caffeine (it’s inevitable) make sure to tell them you’ll dine in, even if you don’t want too. It’s easy to shuffle the food into one of your own containers and BYOC (bring your own cutlery/container/cup). Plastic cutlery is described as most deadly to marine life by The Ocean Conservatory, it is almost never recycled and sometimes it breaks when you use it anyway so remember your own. And remember you always deserve the side road local cafe!

If you’re camping or staying at a hotel don’t forget to bring your own shampoo and soap. The tiny bottles look super cute but the plastic is not good for the environment and your hair will thank you.

Heading into the woods for some camping? Bring dishes, cutlery, dish towels, biodegradable soap and a large container, to use as a sink, from home. Don’t buy paper plates, plastic forks and paper towels. Having a zero waste camping trip is not only better for the landfills but also better for wildlife. No giant trash bag in your car that might leak or leaving it outside for critters to investigate. It’s so fun sitting around a campfire, don’t let disposables loom over your trip.

When it’s time for dishes make sure you disperse your sink water correctly. You must be 200 feet from a waterway and the best way is to throw it over a wide area, dispersing the water as much as possible. This makes it harder for animals to salvage any scraps and keeps the pollution from water sources.

The best beach trips can’t be bothered with unexpected store runs, remember sunscreen. It’s much easier to find reef friendly, zero waste sunscreen in places you know.

Having a zero waste road trip is also easy to leave no trace. Be sure before you leave anywhere that you haven’t accidentally dropped something. Be mindful, stay present and don’t rush.

The most important thing is to have fun, we won’t be taking road trips for granted for a long time.

We made an app, Boycott That! Available for iOS and Android devices!

Boycott That is the app to start becoming a healthier consumer. For the wannabe zero waster, Boycott That has achievable sustainable switches for everyday items. The app is also perfect for helping to avoid companies that partake in animal cruelty and violate basic human rights.