Sustainable Beach Packing List | 5 Summer Travel Essentials

Whether you’re planning to travel, or take a trip to your local beach, there are a number of items which you will need.

As consumers, many of us would like to know that the products we’re using are ethically and sustainably produced. Interestingly enough, many everyday beach essentials have great eco-friendly alternatives - even sunscreen.

To save you time on research, we have compiled a simple sustainable beach packing list. This will highlight everything you will need for an eco-friendly summer.

Friendly reminder: before heading to the beach, remember to grab your face mask.

Sustainable Packing Checklist for Vacation and the Beach

To help you find sustainable things for your next beach adventure, here is a beach travel checklist. This eco item list will cover all your essentials, including sunscreen, your beach bag and more.

Reef Safe Sunscreen

Whether you’re headed to the beach or going on a hike, sunscreen is essential for your health, particularly during the summer.

Sadly, between 6000 and 14000 tons of sunscreen is washed into the ocean every year. Sunscreen also enters the environment through our water systems.

The chemicals found in sunscreen have detrimental effects on coral reefs and marine life. To protect your health and the planet, we strongly promote the use of reef-safe sunscreen.

A great option is the Banana Boat Ultra Sport Reef Friendly Sunscreen. It is rated SPF 50, providing you with optimal sun protection. It is also free from chemicals, safe for the environment.

Delilah Home Beach Towel

For any beach trip, you will need a beach towel. Whether to dry up, or to comfortably sit on, the Delilah Home beach towel has you covered. European-crafted, and made from 100% organic cotton, these towels are a must-have for eco-conscious beachgoers and travelers.

Delilah Home beach towels are GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) certified. This means the product is non-toxic and chemical-free. They are also certified vegan.

Moreover, these lightweight towels are built to last. Turkish cotton spun into fine yarn results in a highly absorbent, soft, and 50% thicker material than most towels. So before your next beach adventure, treat yourself with this extra-plush beach towel.

Reusable Water Bottle

Each year, of the 260 million tons of plastic the world produces, 10 percent ends up in the sea. Plastic takes up to 1000 years to biodegrade. Much of it ends up sinking to the seabed. The rest remain floating in the sea, trapped in whirlpools and ocean gyres, like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Plastic in the ocean has a direct and deadly effect on the environment, particularly marine life. For this reason, we encourage ditching single-use plastic bottles in favor of reusable water bottles.

A great option is the Tree Tribe stainless steel water bottle. It’s stylish and can keep your water cool for an entire day. With this bottle, stay cool and refreshed, without hurting the environment.

Bamboo Lunchbox

Along with single-use plastic bottles, it is wise to avoid single-use containers or plastic lunch boxes. As suggested in our sustainable Fathers’ Day gifts post, we recommend opting for a sustainable bamboo lunch box.

Bamboo is an excellent alternative to plastic, which as previously discussed, is not an environmentally safe product. With a bamboo lunch box, there is no need to worry about toxic materials leaching into the sand or sea.

Even reusable plastic containers end up as garbage one day, which is why bamboo is the way to go. These environmentally-friendly lunch boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes - perfect for your beach snacks and food.

Daypack

To safely store all your sustainable beach essentials, you will need an easy-to-carry, eco-friendly beach bag.

Instead of carrying around single-use plastic bags, or a backpack made from non-sustainable materials, check out the EcoRight canvas tote bag.

EcoRight is an eco-conscious brand that aims to make products that make both their customers, and the planet happy. As such, everything the brand uses is environmentally friendly - from the materials to the inking and packaging.

The EcoRight tote is a lovely, lightweight bag, perfect for grocery shopping and of course, the beach. It can hold up to 22 lbs, perfect for all your beach gear.

Which of These Sustainable Beach Items Will You Be Picking Up This Summer?

These sustainable products mentioned in this post are must-have items for travel and of course, the beach. All items are ethically and sustainably produced, and will ensure you have a wonderful time at the beach - while keeping the environment safe and clean.

Wondering how else you can help the planet? Check out this insightful post on sustainable homes.