Technologies

Zero Waste Travel: The Ultimate Plastic-Free Packing List

How to pack smarter and lighter when traveling the planet.

Travel comes at a cost and it isn’t just fiscal. Every flight leaves a footprint — a carbon footprint. Many people are aware of the carbon footprint created by air travel but you might not be aware of another travel consequence: plastic use and waste. Every year, millions of single-use travel-sized bottles, disposable utensils, plastic-wrapped snacks and shrink-wrapped souvenirs end up in landfills or oceans.

There’s no exact figure detailing plastic use during travel but travelers contribute significantly to plastic consumption, especially through bottled water and other single-use items. According to Adventure.com, 139 million metric tons of single-use plastic were produced in 2021, an increase of 6 million metric tons, or almost 5%, from 2019. The widespread use of disposable products, particularly plastic bottles, plays a major role in the amount of waste created during travel.

For sustainability-minded travelers, one of the easiest and most impactful changes starts before the trip even begins and that’s during the packing process.

Traveling with zero waste, whether by airplane or on a road trip, requires forethought and planning but it’s possible to significantly reduce your environmental impact. This guide breaks down practical, low-waste strategies to help minimize plastic use without sacrificing convenience while exploring the world and knocking out your bucket list.

For more travel tips, learn about the best way to pack a carry-on and the best time to book flights for the cheapest tickets.

BYO containers

Traveling with your own food and drink essentials is a simple yet impactful way to reduce waste while staying prepared. A collapsible, BPA-free water bottle from brands like HydraPak or Que Bottle offers a space-saving solution for staying hydrated without relying on single-use plastic. Bringing a compact travel utensil kit made from bamboo or stainless steel means you’ll always have cutlery on hand, making it easy to skip disposable forks and knives when dining on the move.

For snacks and leftovers, reusable silicone bags or beeswax wraps provide a washable, eco-friendly alternative to plastic baggies. And whether you’re grabbing coffee from a café or brewing tea in your hotel room, a compact travel mug or tumbler lets you enjoy your beverage without the waste that typically comes with takeout cups.

You might read these suggestions and think it’s just too inconvenient to be worth it. I totally get it — it’s so easy to justify grabbing a plastic bottle or cutlery at the airport when you’re tired, rushing or just forgot to pack your reusable items. But if you travel often, those little decisions really add up. A collapsible or lightweight bottle or small dinnerware set that lives in your luggage can make it way easier to stick with the habit.

Go solid, not single-use

When packing toiletries, choosing solid alternatives over single-use plastics can make a meaningful difference. Instead of relying on travel-sized bottles, consider shampoo and conditioner bars from eco-conscious brands like Ethique or HiBAR. These compact, spill-proof bars eliminate the need for liquid soap and come free of plastic packaging. If you need to bring liquids, choose refillable silicone travel bottles that can be used again and again.

For oral care, toothpaste from companies like Bite and Hello offer a fresh, TSA-compliant option that comes in recyclable or compostable containers. For dental floss, seek out compostable options like those from Dental Lace, which are packaged in refillable glass containers designed with function and the environment in mind.

Shaving also can be made more sustainable by switching to a stainless steel safety razor or a refillable razor system, reducing waste and long-term costs.

Conserve water and reduce plastic by packing smarter

Choosing the right clothing and laundry essentials can significantly reduce your environmental footprint while keeping your travel routine simple and efficient. Fabrics like merino wool and other high-performance materials are naturally odor-resistant and quick-drying, meaning they stay fresh longer and require less frequent washing. This not only lightens your laundry load but also conserves water and minimizes detergent runoff into local ecosystems.

When it’s time to do laundry, skip the bulky plastic detergent bottles and pack lightweight, plastic-free alternatives such as laundry sheets or natural soap nuts, which can be stored in a small reusable pouch.

Instead of relying on disposable hotel laundry bags, bring a reusable cloth bag for your worn clothes. This is an easy swap that keeps single-use plastic out of the waste stream.

Tech and accessories for a lighter footprint

Traveling sustainably extends beyond toiletries and clothing — it includes the tech and accessories we rely on every day. Investing in a durable solar charger or a reliable power bank not only keeps your devices powered but also eliminates the need to purchase low-quality chargers or disposable batteries on the fly.

For your phone, consider switching to a compostable case made from plant-based materials. Brands like Pela offer options that combine protection with environmental responsibility. To keep your cords and cables organized, skip the plastic zip bags and choose cloth organizers made from canvas or felt, which offer a more sustainable solution.

Eco-conscious packing from the inside out

Your choice of luggage and packing gear can make a big impact on traveling more sustainably. Choose suitcases or backpacks crafted from recycled plastics or organic materials, with brands like Paravel and Patagonia leading the way in durable options that prioritize the planet.

To keep your belongings organized, packing cubes made from recycled fabrics offer an efficient, plastic-free way to maximize space in your suitcase. And, instead of a traditional vinyl zip pouch for your toiletries, consider a clear-paneled bag made from washable materials like PEVA or silicone.

These small choices, taken together, help ensure your packing is as thoughtful as the journey itself.

Bonus tip: Offset your carbon footprint

Carbon offsetting is the process of compensating for the CO2 or other greenhouse gas emissions you produce in your daily life like when you drive, fly or use electricity. You can do so by participating in activities that reduce or remove an equivalent amount of emissions, including tree planting, conservation or contributing to other renewable energy projects.

Some airlines offer carbon offset programs or you can use third-party platforms like Cool Effect, Carbonfund.org and MyClimate to offset your travel emissions. If you’re road-tripping, calculate your fuel use and offset accordingly. Look for reputable organizations that are certified Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) or Climate Action Reserve when researching offset providers.

It’s also best practice to look for hotels or Airbnb hosts that prioritize sustainability. Specifically, reusable toiletry dispensers, energy-efficient appliances and composting or recycling programs are all good signs.

You don’t have to overhaul your packing routine overnight but each plastic-free swap is a small, tangible and impactful step toward traveling more consciously. With just a few simple adjustments, your suitcase can become a tool for sustainability, not just convenience, and your trip can become an eco-friendly tour.

Read more: Can AI Help Me Travel More Sustainably? I Put It to the Test

Technologies

TikTok’s Fate May Be Decided This Week After Years of Threats and Bans

President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to seal a TikTok deal on Thursday, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

After years of political wrangling, lawsuits, looming bans and uncertainty for millions of people, TikTok’s long-running dramatic saga might finally conclude this week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday that US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to «consummate» a long-negotiated agreement on Thursday, allowing TikTok to continue operating in the US under new ownership terms.

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«The details are ironed out,» Bessent said, stating that his purpose in the negotiations was «to get the Chinese to agree to approve the transaction» and that it was «successfully accomplished.»

It’s possible, of course, that Thursday could come and go without a TikTok deal finalization. Dates and deadlines have been flexible along the way. Trump set numerous deadlines for changes involving TikTok and has bumped those dates several times. TikTok went briefly offline in January hours ahead of a planned ban, but returned the next day.

TikTok’s controversial history in the US

TikTok’s political rollercoaster began in 2020, when Washington first raised alarms about the app’s Chinese ownership and potential data vulnerabilities. Congress passed a 2024 law forcing ByteDance, TikTok’s Beijing-based parent, to divest its US operations or face a total ban. Since then, the video-sharing site has faced multiple executive orders, court challenges and failed acquisition attempts.

The time to make a deal has been running out. The US Supreme Court upheld the divestment order earlier this year, rejecting arguments that a ban would violate free speech. That ruling pushed both sides back to the negotiating table, but there have been numerous delays and shifts to the TikTok deal deadline over the last few months.

Trump signed an executive order on Sept. 25, allowing the new ownership to be US-based and made up of a majority of American investors and stakeholders.

The all-important algorithm

The White House confirmed in September that TikTok’s algorithm will be operated in the United States and overseen by American tech company Oracle. Private equity firm Silver Lake and Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell Technologies, will also be among the investors. In September, Trump said that News Corp founder Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan Murdoch will also be part of the ownership group, but CNN later reported that the Murdochs’ media company, Fox Corp, would be the investor, not the two Murdochs individually.

TikTok’s algorithm is a major part of the deal. The algorithm is what recommends content to you while you’re scrolling on TikTok, and it is controversial because of US concerns that ByteDance, TikTok’s original Chinese owner, could be forced by the Chinese government to use those recommendations in pro-Chinese, anti-US ways.

Under the new TikTok deal, the algorithm will be retrained on US user data.

What this means for TikTok users

For TikTok users, the alleged deal could preserve access to an app that has become a cultural mainstay in the US, eliminating the looming threat of a shutdown or spinoff app.

As part of the new arrangement, TikTok’s US user data will remain stored domestically and managed by a dedicated oversight board, which may appease many Americans with concerns about data privacy.

Trump and Xi will meet again in Korea on Thursday, which means a TikTok deal could be announced by the end of this week. However, implementing the deal and changing ownership will likely take months.

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison is a personal friend of Trump, and some users fear his role with TikTok could mean the algorithm could push right-wing political content to users. A recent NPR story reported that analysts say that this could happen, but they will also need to refrain from alienating the existing audience.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Oct. 28 #604

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Oct. 28, No. 604.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is a toughie, I thought. At least one of the answers was one I would never have come up with on my own. Some of the answers are a bit tough to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: The write stuff

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Not pens, but …

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

PART, RAPT, PENS, SHARP, HARP, DOOM, ROOM, EARN, REAR, REARS, SEAR, FILLER

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

ERASER, REFILL, CEDARWOOD, GRAPHITE, SHARPENER

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is PENCILMEIN. (Pencil me in, though it looks like «pencil mein.») To find it, start with the P that’s three letters to the right on the top row, and wind over and down.

Technologies

Battlefield 6’s Redsec Mode, Coming Tomorrow, Brings Battle Royale Back to the Series

Time to squad up and drop in on a new map.

The Battlefield franchise returned to its former glory with the release of Battlefield 6 earlier this month. The multiplayer military shooter is about to launch its first season of content and events, which will bring changes to the game as well as a new free-to-play battle royale mode.

Update 1.1.1.0 for Battlefield 6 will start Tuesday morning, and also releasing on the same day is Redsec, the game’s battle royale mode, according to posts from the official Battlefield account on Monday. The first season patch is set to go live at 5 a.m. ET/2 a.m. PT, while Redsec will launch at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT.

Redsec marks the franchise’s second attempt at a battle royale mode. Battlefield V had the Firestorm mode that launched in March 2019, five months after the game launched. It tried to capture the battle royale craze at the time, but it was largely forgotten by players, especially with the release of Call of Duty: Warzone the following year.

The Battlefield account did not provide many details about the upcoming battle royale mode on the Monday post, other than a 10-second teaser trailer. Developer Battlefield Studios did, however, teased some information last month.

Eyes up.
Plates on.#REDSEC arrives tomorrow at 8:00 PT / 15:00 UTC 🔴
🔔 set reminder: https://t.co/xuRd1LETVr pic.twitter.com/Lpi7sufuay

— Battlefield (@Battlefield) October 27, 2025

A Battlefield Labs update from Sept. 10 outlined the testing done by players and some of the changes made before the launch of the mode. According to the developers, Redsec is going to have a new map where players can have access to transport vehicles and could eventually unlock armored vehicles to use during a match. During the test, players joined up in four-person squads, but it’s unclear whether there would be an option to play individually.

Like in Battlefield 6 matches, players can pick their classes before the match starts, but they won’t be able to change in the middle. They’ll be able to gain XP in a game from defeating other players or completing missions, and as they level up, players will unlock new traits to improve their soldier. During a match, the opportunities for destruction are everywhere as walls and buildings can be destroyed to stay within the shrinking ring of the map, which the developers say will be extremely deadly for those who venture outside of it as it collapses.

Before Redsec goes live, the first update to kick off season 1 will drop with a slew of improvements, which include refined animations, better accuracy on weapons, visual upgrades and map fixes to resolve issues that arise while playing a match. A longer list of what’s being changed with this first season was posted on the game’s official X account.

Battlefield 6 is out now for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X and S consoles.