One of the big questions in travel planning is Do You Actually Need Travel Insurance? It’s also one of the questions I’ve consistently ignored… But maybe I’m finally learning my lesson. For years, I’ve confidently told friends and family, “Yes – travel insurance is a good idea. It doesn’t cost very much. It gives you peace […]
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23 Easy Ways to Live More Sustainably in 2023 (in 2 Sentences Each!)
Okay, I meant two sentences each on average. But in the spirit of my New Year’s resolution – more action, less perfection – I’m doing my best to keep this short and sweet! Most of these are products and ideas that I’ve written thousands of words about elsewhere on the blog, so consider this your miniature […]
The Best Travel Carbon Calculators [To Find Lower-Emission Flights & Travel]
This is Part 3 in my series about understanding, calculating and reducing the carbon emissions of travel, and particularly of flights. (Part 1 is about why I decided to take on this massive project. Part 2 is about calculating my carbon emissions from flights in 2022.) As I made painfully clear with a personal example in […]
Confession: This Is My Carbon Footprint from Flights This Year
This is Part 2 of my series on joining Tourism Declares A Climate Emergency. This is the one where I calculate and share my carbon footprint from the flights I took in 2022. (Here’s Part 1. In Part 3, I dive into the details on several travel carbon calculators, and why I chose the one […]
20 Sustainable Gift Ideas for the Reluctant Gifter (2022 UPDATE)
This is my annual sustainable gift guide, now in its second iteration for 2022. Take it with a grain of salt, because in all my years of blogging, 2021 was the first year I wrote a gift guide. That’s for two reasons: First, I hate giving people things they don’t want or need, or low-quality […]
Unbound Merino Review: Travel-Testing a Minimalist Wool Wardrobe
This is my detailed review of Unbound Merino’s new line of women’s merino wool basics (plus one of their men’s merino t-shirts!), and whether they stand up to their claims of being the perfect travel clothes. (AKA: Looking and smelling good for weeks without washing.) If you’re planning to buy half a dozen t-shirts or wool […]
Everist Review: Are Eco-Friendly, Concentrated Shampoo & Conditioner Better Than Bars?
If you want a more sustainable shower routine, but aren’t on board with shampoo and conditioner bars, I’ve tested another plastic-free option for you: Concentrated, waterless shampoo and bath products in aluminum tubes from Everist. They’re definitely a travel-friendly option, but read on for the rest of the details. I’ve been a longtime devotee of […]
Review: Bite vs Everyone (All the Plastic-Free Toothpaste Options Compared)
These detailed reviews cover the best plastic-free toothpaste brands: Bite Toothpaste Bits, UnPaste (AKA DentTabs), by Humankind, Lush Toothpaste Tabs (much controversy there), and Georganics. Plus a few lesser-known alternatives: Crush & Brush (from Nelson Naturals), Ben & Anna, Noice, and Ojook. As you may know, toothpaste tablets are a fairly new, very travel-friendly and […]
Eco-Friendly Small Businesses Everywhere (Add More To This Growing Map!)
This is a collaborative map of eco-friendly small businesses from coast to coast – and hopefully, with your help, around the world. I created it as a useful resource for sustainable shopping that YOU can help build and share! When I started reviewing sustainable products on this blog, I didn’t set out to write about […]
How to Eat in Italy: an Expat’s Guide to Italian Menus & Courses
This Italian foodie guide is exactly what my friends and family ask for when they visit from abroad: A guide to Italian menus, with each meal and course explained, so you can figure out what you’re looking at. If I’ve learned just one thing in the past year living in Milan, it’s how to eat […]
How to Embarrass Yourself on a Sailboat Full of Scientists Studying Microplastics
Lots of tour companies in Greece can take you out on a sailboat for a day – usually with sunbathing, cocktails and swimming stops. But instead of hopping on one of those when I visited the island of Paros, I found my way onto a scientific research trip, sailing its way through the Greek islands, […]
Luxury Villas in Europe (with Private Pools AND Sustainability Credentials)
As I’m writing this article, I’m wondering if it’s almost too good to be true. These luxurious European vacation rentals are stunning, sustainable and – if you get a few friends together – bizarrely affordable. I’m talking less than $100 per person per night for a beautiful villa in Europe with a private pool. Here’s how […]
