When I’m in London or Amsterdam every day life seems to be seamlessly in line with eco-living principles - most of the time, or at least where I choose to shop.

I’m never served takeaway coffee - or as matter of fact anything - in a plastic cup, I’m never offered a plastic bag unless I specifically ask to buy it, and sustainable, bio-degradable, toxic-free products are easily available at walk-in grocery stores like Planet Organic and Ekoplaza.

Not the case here in the Greek island of Tinos where I live for the summer! Everywhere I go I’m immediately offered a plastic bag per item I choose to buy, cold coffee is served in single use plastic cups accompanied by a plastic straw at every beach bar or as takeaway, water is served in 0.5l plastic bottles by default, and toxic-free products like organic cotton pads are so far very hard to find.

I suspect this is the case for most places outside of cities where these products are more easily available with eco-living culture being more widespread.

So what do we do when we go on holiday in places where there are no obvious eco-living choices?

PREPARE | To avoid being faced with the painful decision to buy drinks in single use plastic EVERY time we can all carry our favourite reusable cup, and even straw these days, right? Bring your own reusable, non-toxic, biodegradable items with you to save yourself the guilt of having no other option than to buy that awful shampoo.

BE THE EXAMPLE | When saying no thanks to the plastic bag offer at a shop, or here please use my reusable cup for the coffee at the beach bar, there is a good chance the person behind you will hear you and be inspired by your choices.

SPREAD THE WORD | Every time I refuse a de-facto plastic bag offer when shopping I consciously and intentionally let the shop assistant/owner know why I do so in an effort to spread awareness. I bring up an example of how much trash I’ve seen on the island, or how we all see those bags flying around and ending up in the sea etc. Everyone nods and agrees which is a great first sign, next up is suggesting that they stock paper bags instead; this will happen the more people show up with the same principles.

So to prepare before you travel to some place that could use some help in the eco-living transition I’ve listed some of my favourite items to stock before you travel.

keepcup - I have the medium sized glass with cork handle in red, easy to clean, great for both hot & cold drinks and you can fit a straw in there. And travel with it. Boom.

reusable straw - enough with the 8.3 billion plastic straws polluting the planet’s beaches every year, get your own reusable straw and just make the effort to clean it in between uses. This kit is particularly useful with a case and cleaner included. Or opt for these bamboo ones so that you avoid the guilt in case you forget your €12 stainless steel one somewhere. (which you won’t if that is in your reusable keepcup)

food container - I love this stainless steel lunch box from Black+Blum, it’s totally leak-proof, great size, super light and comes with a coloured rubber band that keeps the box extra safe while serving as a placeholder for cutlery.

spork - the ultimate spoon-knife-fork combo, usually found in outdoor shops for its versatility and awesome design. I have it in my bag all the time. If you like the fork and knife action which sometimes can be more useful try this cutlery set from Black+Blum.

klean kanteen water bottle - the classic stainless steel water bottle, I use it all the time, sometimes I lose it..and I buy it again.

shopper bag - a no-brainer choice, carrying a shopper bag - which doubles as a beach bag if needed - to avoid accepting all those plastic bags that we see ending up in turtle stomachs.

net bag - use these to avoid the smaller plastic bags given for every different vegetable type you buy from the market.

organicup - I usually prefer to use organic cotton, plastic/toxic/perfume-free pads but for travels it can be a pain to have to carry boxes of the stuff, and so I do bring my moon cup with me.

shampoo & conditioner bar - though bar soap can be difficult to carry especially if you haven’t had the time to let it dry after the last use, it is actually much safer than the bottles that occasionally open inside the suitcase and cause bubble mayhem to your goods, plus they take less space, last longer and these ones are biodegradable, eco-friendly, toxic-free and all the things.

A final note on eco-living efforts while traveling:

a) It’s possible that you can’t do it right all the time and that is ok! Sometimes it’s not easy to refuse the plastic bag, or the straw, or the toothpaste in plastic tube. Instead of being dogmatic about it, I try to do my best. But I do, I really do try. And I allow myself to not do it right all the time, because this is the world we live in, and changes can take time. To change habits requires consistency, patience and perseverance.

b) Avoid judging other people for what you may perceive as non-eco-friendly choices. Just because someone hasn’t bought a keepcup yet, doesn’t mean they don’t care about the environment, it may mean that they haven’t been inspired yet to make changes in their everyday choices. Here’s where you come in, leading by example, and even potentially engaging in constructive conversation by suggesting an alternative way - others will make their own choices about how they want to contribute to the plastic waste issue.

ABOUT ELENA & LIVING ON SOURCE

Welcome to my online portal!

I am a former Googler reborn as conscious living advocate, transformational mentor, conscious business advisor, yogini, sound healing practitioner and workshop & retreat facilitator.

I help people connect to their authenticity and harness their innate power so that they can manifest the life they truly desire through individual sessions, group events and retreats.

It is my passion to inspire people into reconnecting with their true desire; I write regularly on the Living on Source journal and curate events to bring the LOS community together in London & Amsterdam.

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