Seeing my first National Park, The Great Smoky Mountains, several years ago made me fall in love with nature in ways I had never experienced before. The massive scale of the trees kissing the sky was unlike anything I’d ever seen. In that moment, I realized how much I wanted to savor these incredible places on Earth. How much I wanted my children and grandchildren to one day get to experience that exact moment of being blown away. From that point on sustainability played an active role in my day to day activities and lifestyle. I discovered simple swaps that I could make or actions I could take that could make a positive impact on the world around me (no matter how tiny those impacts felt).
Fast forward to September 2020, when a pandemic and no attachment to a set location made me realize it was the perfect time to live on the road and visit those parks that had started this whole journey for me. The choice to do so was not made overnight. It took careful planning and consideration. In the midst of packing, I started to think about the items I wanted to take or plan for to continue some of my sustainable habits on the road.
The pandemic had already made certain elements of sustainable living more of a challenge. It felt like single-use items that I usually avoided were somehow unavoidable. The compost drop off I regularly utilized was no longer accepting drop offs. Being that I was facing these sustainability bumps in NYC, I figured it would not be any easier on the road—if anything it probably would be harder. That being said, I learned through my trials and tribulations of living sustainably on the road.
How To Live Sustainably On the Road
1. Pick your single-use alternatives. Having lived in the city prior to my adventures on the road, packing my sustainable go-to’s was something that was a part of my daily routine. Packing things like metal straws, reusable water bottles and coffee mugs, and zero waste utensils is a super simple way to minimize your trash. The same goes for living on the road—and it’s nice not to scramble for single-use alternatives!
2. Opt for things that can be recharged. When searching for a flashlight and headlamp, I was really set on purchasing ones that could be recharged (as opposed to battery operated). Both because I knew I would save money not having to buy batteries, but also because I knew I wouldn’t have to keep going through batteries (and try to find a proper place to dispose of them). Though it took a little searching and was more of an investment, it was absolutely worth it.
3. Recycling programs vary. A few of the Airbnbs we’d stayed in didn’t have a recycling bin. So in those moments, we had to take the time to find a recycling center that we could drop off our recycling. We quickly realized that recycling programs and accessibility to recycling efforts definitely varies state to state! How2.recycle.org is a great resource for those of us in the US or Canada.
4. You’re not as dirty as you think you are. When you’re constantly surrounded by the luxury of a warm running shower, you’re less inclined to actually consider if it’s something you really need. On the road I would go a few days without a shower and it made me realize how I am definitely an “over” shower-er. It was such a great reminder to take a break from just going through the motions and try to save water. It’s definitely something I’m implementing into my life now too!
I always like to be transparent when I talk about my sustainability journey and emphasize that you don’t have to be perfect. Small steps and actions DO MATTER. If living sustainably on the road taught me anything, it’s that it is all a journey.
Have you ever tried living sustainably on the road? Tell us where you went!
