Save Money, Save the World - Eco-friendly Travel Essentials

Travelling is one of the great joys of life. In fact, there’s only one thing more wonderful than travelling, and that’s travelling with friends! There are many advantages to travelling in groups, including increased safety, shared experiences, learning about the world together, forging friendships that will last a lifetime, and, of course, practicality.

Travelling in a group allows you to share expenses: taking advantage of group rates for airline tickets or checking into reputable hostels for groups, for example, can result in significant savings, freeing more of your funds for the ‘important’ stuff such as sightseeing, partying, and souvenir shopping.

But being practical doesn’t mean missing out on all the fun stuff or compromising on your standards. In fact, being practical can even mean holding yourself to a higher standard. For example, due to environmental concerns, many countries now charge a fee for plastic shopping bags, so bringing your own reusable bag, such as a ChicoBag rePETe bag, made from recycled PET plastic, or a similar green product is not only practical, but the responsible thing to do. Going green doesn’t just mean more value for your money – it also helps save the planet. Below, we present a few more practical and 'green products' every traveller should consider.

Solar Charger

Although most hostels for groups will probably provide facilities for charging your phone, digital camera, and other mobile devices, a solar charger, such as the Solio BOLT Portable Charger, or the XTG Technology Premium Solar Charger, means you can charge your device anywhere using the cleanest available energy in the universe - for free!

Water BottleStaying hydrated is never more important than when travelling. Of course, staying in any of the reputable hostels for groups means you'll have plenty of safe drinking water, but that’s not always the case when you’re out exploring. Bottled mineral water may be convenient, but it's neither cheap nor eco-friendly. Save money and help save the environment by using a refillable water bottle, such the Kleen Kanteen, an insulated vacuum bottle, which can also be used for coffee! Or go an extra mile and get one that actually purifies at the same time, ensuring access to clean, potable water will never be a problem. Try the Katadyn water bottle with built-in filter or the Steripen Traveler, a battery-operated water bottle that uses ultraviolet rays to purify water. Organic Dry ShampooOf course, clean, modern bathrooms are one of the best things about staying in any of the comfortable hostels for groups, but seasoned travellers know that showers may not always be a priority, possibly due to lack of time or, more likely, lack of hot water. This can be especially true when you’re visiting some of the more exotic locations. Fortunately, modern toiletry items can help you stay fresh and smelling wonderful! For example, SkinnySkinny’s dry shampoo, which is organic, vegan, packaged in recyclable materials, and manufactured using wind energy, can help your hair looking great and smelling fresh and clean without water. It's a great little 'emergency' item to pack in your kit.There are many other eco-friendly travel products on the market that will afford you the luxury of a clear conscience as you're exploring the world. Take the time to do some research and ensure your footprint on the world is as light and small as possible.

Ben Spencer works for Hostelling International. Offering more than 4000 hostels worldwide, their website dedicated to groups features 250 hostels specifically suitable for school trips, corporate team building trips and families. For the best hostels for groups, join our community and say hi to the world. HI is the only global network of Youth Hostel Associations and a non-profit membership organisation with over 100 years of experience.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.