How to Zero Waste Your Airplane Flight ✈️

Hey earth muffins! After branching out from my “How to Zero Waste Your [insert room here]” series into topics like periods, I thought it would be fun to explore traveling. As I recently took a trip to Washington D.C., it seemed like the perfect time to share my tips for being low waste on an airplane. 😊

Note: flying on a airplane is not good for the environment. It is actually one of the worst things to do… So, there really isn’t a “zero waste” way to fly; however, if you must fly these are tips that you can use to mitigate other waste at the airport and on board.

1. Book an airline that uses online boarding passes – You won’t have to worry about printing your ticket or losing it along the way! Just make sure your phone is charged up to be scanned through security and the gate. Delta has a great app I use, but I am sure many other airlines offer this lovely feature.

2. Bring your own water bottle – People I talk to are often unaware that you can bring your own water bottle through security (just make sure it is empty when you go through!). Airports have water fountains near the bathrooms, which reduces the need to buy plastic water bottles in the airport or to get a beverage during the in-flight food service.

3. Be prepared with some snacks! – Again, you can bring snacks through security! For my trip to Washington D.C., I brought along some pretzel sticks in a reusable sandwich bag. 🥨 I was able to refuse the snack mid-flight and even have some leftovers for my layover. While I didn’t have enough space in my bag to bring as much food as I could have, at least a few snack packages were saved!

4. Bring your own ear buds/headphones (noise cancelling is recommended!) – You can usually purchase cheap, throwaway-able ear buds on flights, but save your money (and the planet) by bringing your own!

5. Don’t check a bag; bring a carry-on! – Even if you have your own luggage tag, your checked bag will still get adorned with some extra stickers and tags that are unnecessary. Save that waste by packing light and bringing only a carry-on. 🧳