Wanderlust UK – September 2019

wanderlust.co.uk September 2019 135

READER TIPS DISCOVER

Cleanupyouract!

Tajikistan

“When I was in Tajikistan, I used

public transport – tightly packed

shared minibuses – and told other

passengers (often locals) that

throwing water bottles out of the

window is wrong, as the plastics

are carried away by wind and river,

spoiling the desert-like landscape.

I showed them my reusable water

bottle, too. It was never easy to

explain, but sometimes the driver

supported me and we agreed that it

all came down to ‘old habits die

hard’. I do hope that some people

will have changed their mind.”

Helga Boom

Chop,chop!

Japan

“Alwaystakereusable

cutlerytoreplaceallthose

plasticonesyougetthrough

onyourtrip.Onarecenttrip

toJapan,wetookourown

chopsticks.It’sestimated

that 24 billionayearare

usedinJapan,andmanyare

plastic.Takeyourown–it

takesupnexttonoroomin

yourbag,andJapanese

restaurantsta…seemed

genuinelyimpressedbyit!”

GonzaloDominguez

they come in to send back to the
company I get them from. They have
a recycle scheme, which is really
useful and no hassle at all.”
James Strickle

App-solutely fabulous!
Bali, Indonesia
“To avoid single-use water bottles
while travelling, I use a great app
called Re•illMyBottle. I used it while
travelling in Bali, but it’s available in
more than nine countries. The app
locates clean water re•ill stations,
where you can •ill your reusable
water bottle for free (or a small fee),
saving on plastic consumption.
Hannah Matthews

Getfresh!

General

“When I travel, I love to buy fresh,

unpackaged produce from farms

and markets – not only does this

cut down on plastic use, you get

a much more authentic experience

of the country and its culture, too!”

Rebekah Nairn

Top (eco) gear

General

“Only use natural-•ibre clothes so

when you wash them they don’t

release microplastics. Don’t buy

equipment online, either – it saves

on extensive plastic packaging.”

Katherine Raines

Visit wanderlust.co.uk

to submit your tips.

Next month’s topic is:

Travel Secrets

Plastic nightmare

Nepal

”In Nepal, I saw lorry loads of

plastic bottles being tipped o…

the side of the road into ravines,

so I bought a Water-to-Go “ilter

bottle. It “ilters any non-saltwater

to make it safe to drink; I haven’t

thrown away another plastic

bottle since. I also use Friendly

Soaps’ Travel Soap – it’s

antibacterial, antiseptic,

deodorising and keeps the bugs

at bay. They’re packaged in

recycled cardboard boxes, too.

Sue Bungard (pictured right)

Chop, chop!