Participating in Earth Day celebrations from the comfort of your sofa probably wasn’t what you had in mind this year. Put a positive spin on celebrating the planet this month by thinking about all the eco-friendly destinations you’ll visit (hopefully) soon. Plan ahead by purchasing a few of these sustainable travel accessories now to use on your next trip — one we truly hope comes sooner rather than later.
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Most of these items can be found on Amazon so when purchasing those, it’s worth using a credit card that gives you added Amazon perks or bonuses. Consider the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature, which offers 5% cash back on purchases (you have to be a Prime member to qualify, but you also get a $100 gift card automatically loaded into your Amazon.com account). If you’re not a Prime member, the no-annual-fee Chase Freedom Unlimited is another good choice, offering you 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Related: Best credit cards for Amazon purchases
House of Marley ANC earbuds
These sweat-proof, weather-resistant earbuds are made from sustainable materials like bamboo, wood fiber composite and reground silicone. Created in honor of Bob Marley’s 75th birthday, the noise-canceling earbuds come with five hours of battery life and 15 more hours with case charging (the case is also sustainably designed).
Buy: Amazon, $179.99
Huemankind reuseable metal straws
These collapsible stainless steel drinking straws will ensure you never have to use a plastic straw again, whether you’re sipping a homemade fruit smoothie or enjoying a laid-back tropical cocktail on the beach. Huemankind’s straws come with a cleaning brush and a small tube case with a keychain that can be hooked on a backpack or purse.
Buy: Amazon, $14.94
Scrubba portable laundry kit
Forget using gallons of water attempting to wash your clothes in the hotel sink. Instead, bring the Scrubba portable laundry kit along on your next trip. The kit comes with everything you need to wash and dry: a packing cell with Scrubba bag and a dry kit, which included a large towel to remove excess water, a pegless travel clothesline and inflatable hangers.
Buy: Amazon, $90.95
Kokua Reef-Safe Sunscreen
With zero toxic ingredients, harsh preservatives, phthalates or artificial fragrances, this eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen is zinc-based and smells naturally of vanilla and coconut. It doesn’t contain any oxybenzone, octinoxate or parabens, ensuring you’ll be able to use it places that have banned many sunscreens, such as Hawaii and Palau.
Buy: Amazon, $29.99
Happyluxe eco-friendly sleep mask
Although everyone has their personal favorite when it comes to sleep masks, Happyluxe makes one using a plant-based, micromodal fabric sustainably harvested from beech trees — said to be twice as soft as cotton. Plus, the Happyluxe sleep mask is made right here in the U.S.A.
Buy: Amazon, $20.00
Ethique Heali Kiwi solid shampoo bar
This plant-based shampoo bar comes with compostable packaging that creates zero plastic waste. The perfect alternative to plastic bottle waste and toting heavy liquids in your suitcase, the bar is made to be equivalent to three bottles of shampoo. It’s also chock full of shine-inducing ingredients like kiwifruit oil, coconut oil, neem oil, karanja oil and oatmeal.
Buy: Amazon, $15.99
Hiluckey Solar Charger
This waterproof solar charger can charge phones up to 10 times or tablets up to four times once its four foldable solar panels have absorbed the necessary sunlight. You can clip the charger onto your backpack with the panels open when it’s time for a solar top-up. If necessary, you can use a micro USB cable to juice up the charger, too.
Buy: Amazon, $46.99
Lifestraw filter water bottle
Using a reusable bottle is already a responsible choice, but not always possible when traveling, especially in countries where you shouldn’t drink the tap water. But Lifestraws BPA-free reusable bottle has a special filter straw which removes 99.9% of waterborne bacteria and parasites, including e-coli, giardia and cryptosporidium. The filter is replaceable and also has activated carbon capsules to reduce any bad or mineral taste.
Buy: Amazon, $39.95
Kooler Things bamboo toothbrush
Perfect for at-home or travel use, Kooler Things plastic and BPA-free bamboo toothbrushes are made from biodegradable material. Even the packaging is 100% recyclable. Bristles made from activated charcoal help to fight plaque and bacteria, keeping your teeth clean and white.
Buy: Amazon, $9.99 for an eight-pack
Paravel aviator carry on plus
Paravel certainly doesn’t sacrifice style for sustainability. The aviator carry on plus bag, which looks impossibly chic, has features such as a recycled polycarbonate exterior, recycled aluminum handle, recycled zippers, vegan leather details and an interior lining made from plastic water bottles.
Buy: Paravel, $275
Bamboosty bamboo travel utensils set
Avoid plastic cutlery at work, at home, while traveling, during picnics or anytime with this non-toxic, chemical-free bamboo cutlery set. Coming with a special travel pouch, the set contains a fork, knife, spoon, straw and chopsticks, as well as a special cleaning brush. The bamboo utensils are also dishwasher safe.
Buy: Amazon, $9.98 for a set of two
Solgardd solar-powered lifepack
Made from recycled ocean plastic, this backpack has a special solarbank charger that also doubles as a speaker. With a special laptop slot, secret pockets for items like your passport and an integrated anti-theft lock, this eco-friendly backpack is also functional for someone on the go. The brand also makes duffles, roller bags and other travel accessories.
Buy: Solgardd, $195 ($225 for solarbank/speaker combo)
*Prices are accurate as of publication date but are subject to change.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases.
Featured photo by Esther Tuttle/Unsplash.