6 Ways to Take a More Sustainable Road Trip

ONE

Bring Reusable Water Bottles and Containers

It can be easy to forget the basics. Make sure to bring reusable containers, bottles and cutlery to reduce waste. Extra reusable products you might find useful are beeswax plastic wraps, reusable straws and reusable bags (for farmers markets and local purchases).

TWO

Shop Locally

When visiting and passing through small towns, take the opportunity to support local businesses over big chain manufacturers. Whether it be handmade goods or produce straight from the farmers, this is a unique opportunity to help a local economy thrive while discouraging the environmental effects caused by the mass production of big companies.

Not sure where to start? Local markets are the best way to find local sellers. A quick google search or a visit to the town notice board will give you the information on any upcoming markets in the area.

THREE

Composting!

Composting on the go sounds trickier than it actually is. ShareWaste is an app and website that connects you with local greenies willing to accept your compost scraps! Open the app wherever you are to see a map of locals that you can message to arrange a drop off. 

Glass and ceramic containers are best for on the go composting, as they keep smells contained and don’t absorb tastes and smells like plastic does. For day trips, we recommend using a keep cup to compost scraps while you’re away from your vehicle. A number of composters are available to collect your scraps in most Australian towns, perfect for road trips!

FOUR

Clean Up Your Rubbish and Recycle

This might be an obvious one, but ensure you pick up your own rubbish as you go (and other rubbish you see around). Make sure to separate recyclables from regular rubbish and drop it off at local recycling centres. 

Local government and council websites will usually have a map of local recycling centres and direct you to drop off locations depending on the type of recyclables you have.

FIVE

Be Fuel Conscious

There are a number of things you can do to reduce your fuel consumption on long trips. Using a carbon friendly vehicle or a hybrid car is the best way to reduce gas emissions. However, there are still a number of ways to lower emissions in a regular car.

• Pack lighter. The lighter your vehicle, the less fuel you’ll use!
• Use cruise control. Maintaining a consistent speed will use significantly less fuel.
• Use E10 fuel wherever possible. Ethanol blended petrol is proven to reduce particle emissions by 20-30%, according to a study conducted by the CSIRO.
• That natural breeze. Opting for the windows down instead of blasting the air-con on will burn through less fuel.
• Get your vehicle checked before travelling. If your car isn’t running properly, it’s possible for your vehicle to burn through fuel faster. Having your car and engine checked over by a mechanic before a long trip could save you necessary fuel emissions (and $$, have you seen the price of fuel lately?!).
• Lastly, pre-plan your route. Checking that map before setting off on your adventure can save you the wrong turns and added mileage - and subsequently more fuel.

SIX

Get Yourself an Eco-Friendly Air Freshener

Traditional air fresheners are cheaply made, mass-produced and lose their smell in a couple of days. Smelly Balls are an eco-friendly alternative that are sustainably made with fair-trade wool. They are long-lasting and come with a seperate fragrance oil to top up when that scent starts to fade. Most importantly, they look good and come in a range of colours to suit your road trip aesthetic.

Shop our range of Smelly Balls sets for your next sustainable road trip.