Sustainable Spring Break Essentials

You’re packing for spring break but don’t wanna create more waste with your essentials? That’s the right attitude! Here are my favorite sustainable spring break essentials!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase via my link I may get a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend things I use and love, but for any questions, refer to my full disclosure here.

Reef-safe sunscreen

This is my first essential to mention; on purpose. I recently looked into reef-safe sunscreen and it was quite hard to find good ones at a reasonable price.

Not sure what reef-safe means? So do you ever swim after putting sunscreen on? Have you ever wondered about that being toxic for sea life and reefs? Well if not, it’s okay. But now you know!

So I did some research about natural sunscreen and found something called “red raspberry seed oil” that has a natural SPF of 25-27. For a nice day out, that’s a good SPF! (PS: coconut oil has an SPF of 5-7 if you’re wanting to get a little protection on a regular winter or spring day).

I encourage you to find a product or oil that works for you. I don’t know your skin type and 25 SPF might not be enough for you, especially on a hot day.

But I think this alternative is worth a try! I will let you know how it worked after I’m back from spring break!

Shampoo & conditioner bars

Honestly, shampoo and conditioner bars are my very favorite essential for spring break.

Whether you travel by plane where you have a limit on the liquids you can bring, or you’re driving and don’t have much space; I just love how convenient they are while being eco-friendly.

This one below is my favorite shampoo bar. Even though it’s not the most ethical/sustainable company, I’d rather buy a plastic-free shampoo that works for me rather than one I hate.

Bamboo Toothbrush

If you need to buy a new toothbrush for your trip, get a bamboo one! That way you can take the bristles off when you’re done with it and can compost the rest of it (the bamboo-part).

Water bottle

One of the most important sustainable spring break essentials is a water bottle. Trust me, you don’t want to be looking for bottles of water, thirsty. Take one and fill it up wherever you can.

Metal straw

Metal straws are honestly lifesavers on travels! You never know where you’ll get a straw, so it makes it easier to just have one and show it while saying “I don’t need a straw, thanks!”.

Here are a few affordable ones:

Reusable utensils

Most hotels don’t have normal dishes anymore, especially in budget chains in the United States. So take a set from home to avoid the plastic cutlery in hotels. You can create a cute little set like one of these or just wrap them into a reusable tissue.

Cups

If you are over 21 and you know you’ll drink, take your own cup or just wash the one you get and reuse it. Having fun doesn’t have to be wasteful!

Want more sustainable ideas for students? Here are my top zero waste school supplies!

Aluminum cocktail shaker

If you’re into drinks and stuff, why not make them yourself with your friends? It could even be a challenge!

Also, if you take your own cocktail shaker you can avoid the wasteful cups they give at other parties AND it’s super fun (and cheaper).

Games

Games are something that I almost forgot to pack myself!

Take some card games or have a few truth or drink questions on your phone so you don’t end up being bored!

Lotion

a lotion is pretty useful if you go to the beach and get burned after. What I will take to replace lotion, makeup remover, and hair oil is coconut oil. I have a jar of it and it’s been lasting me very well.

I can fully recommend taking coconut oil, also because you probably have limited space. If not, you can, of course, take some regular lotion.

Shopping bag

Even if you don’t plan on buying things or going shopping, bringing a bag or two with you will keep you prepared and help you avoid single-use bags.

If you haven’t kept any bags from previous shopping sprees, just take your backpack or check out these cute bags:

Electronic tickets

If you’re flying somewhere, if you can, try to keep your tickets on your phone instead of printing everything.

Ebooks

If you like to read, consider downloading a few ebooks to your phone to avoid having to carry heavy books. It’s also good for the environment!

Portable Charger

Get yourself a good portable to charger to keep your phone running when you need it! Make sure to get one that will last you for a long time.

Water pitcher/ filtered bottle

Water can get quite bad in some places, especially by the ocean. If you bring a water pitcher (ex: Brita) or a bottle with a filter, you can decrease the change of getting sick from the water. Also, it tastes better and saves single-use plastic bottles.

Sunglasses/hat

Protect yourself from the sun and treat yourself with a hat or pair of sunglasses that you LOVE, so you use them for many years to come.

Camera/ your phone

Avoid disposable cameras and just use your phone if you don’t have a camera.

These are all my sustainable spring break essentials!

I hope they helped you a little bit and you’ll have a great time on your break!

Let me know in the comments if you have any other sustainable idea for spring break or summer vacation! I’d love to share it with others.

Stay safe and until soon,