Last Updated on July 28, 2023
My husband Ben has a job that requires him to fly often. He was getting frustrated by all the plastic generated on his trips, so here’s what he brings to reduce the amount of plastic waste created when flying:
- A cup/bottle – plastic cups are probably the biggest culprit. Especially on a longer flight, passengers will be served (sometimes multiple) drinks multiple times. Ben brings a stainless steel mug which can be used for hot or cold beverages. He also fills up his water bottle at the airport and also during the flight.
- Cutlery – typically meals are served with a little plastic bag of plastic cutlery – skip this and pack your own. Ben usually finds a spork is fine, butchopsticks are another option, and some people also bring a bamboo cutlery set with a spoon, fork and knife.
- A straw – if you typically order sodas or other canned drinks on a plane, you can ask for the can and use your own reusable straw (although whether or not they’ll let you have the whole can depends on the airline/flight attendant).
- Headphones – the headphones you get on a plane are always wrapped in plastic and generally pretty low quality; bring your own instead!
- Snacks/food – if you want to have a completely plastic free flight, you can bring your own food in reusable containers.
It’s also great to carbon offset the impact of your flight. Read my post about carbon offsetting.
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