BY MYSCHA THERIAULT
McCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWSPAPERS
Hurried flight connections and fast-paced highway traffic can cause even the most dedicated eco traveler to pause in confusion when it comes to reducing waste on the road. Follow these tips.
Dining: By choosing to eat inside instead of opting for takeout or drive-through food, you can skip the plastic packaging. If I have to grab lunch at a fast-food burger chain on the highway, ordering my value meal inside provides me with the opportunity to pump my ketchup into a paper portion cup, skip the straw and drink cover and even use the iced tea dispenser to fill my own travel mug.
Decanting: Consider purchasing travel kits with small containers and dispense personal care products such as moisturizer, nail polish remover, toner, eye gel and more from the larger jars you already use at home. The new containers are easily labeled, and help you avoid purchasing new travel-sized packaging for every trip. I've also transferred sunscreen, liquid concealer and hairspray.
Supplies: Bring at least one fabric shopping sack and a couple of mesh drawstring bags to shop for food and souvenirs. This one step will save you stacks of plastic bags over the course of a one or two week vacation. These supplies need not take up a great deal of luggage space. Flip and Tumble produces lightweight nylon bags that pack by stuffing the fabric into an attached pocket, resulting in a compact sphere that's slightly smaller than a tennis ball. Blink Tidy Totes, available in department store automotive sections, are compact mesh receptacles that literally fit in the palm of your hand. They're my produce storage option of choice at home and on the road.
Snacks: Beth Terry, author of "Plastic Free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too," advises bringing your own road trip snacks and plane food. Her items of choice--cut vegetables, trail mix, nuts and other goodies she packs at home. Another pitfall she avoids? Individually-packaged treats.