How to use less plastic on holiday? Ecotravel

How to use less plastic on holiday?


Updated January 2024

Travelling to Barcelona is already a major source of pollution, both for the atmosphere in general and for the city of Barcelona in particular. 

So it is only reasonable that during your stay in Barcelona you try and reduce your carbon footprint as much as possible and use as little single use plastic as possible:

Here's what you can do


Say no to plastic drinking straws 
Tell waiters upfront that you do not want a plastic drinking straw - called "Pajita de plástico" in your drink. They cannot be recycled and often end in the sea.

Say no thanks to plastic plates and cutlery
Only eat food at places that don't use plastic cutlery. Use your fingers for fast food or bring your own cutlery.

Shop at markets, buy fresh
Avoid heavily packaged food and food outlets that serve in plastic and don't reccyle

Avoid single-use plastic bottles
Ask for tap water in restaurants and if they do not serve tap water, then ask for water in glass bottles and not plastic bottles. Use refillable water bottles and public fountains. Buy a water filter if you are staying in an apartment. Use a reusable water bottle – or considering getting a filtered one.

Inflatable beach toys
Don't but the big inflatable beach toys. They cannot be recycled and frankly are unecessary, bulky to transport and an all around bad idea (in our opinion) Try to avoid plastic toys for the children at the beach. Buy wooden beach tennis toys. Use something else to build sandcastles. 

Use re-fillable bottles for shampoo, conditioner etc.
Fill from home and take back with you

Avoid plastic bags
Bring your own shopping bags, or buy one or buy paper shopping bags. Don't take any plastic bags to beach.

PIck up plastic on the beach
If you see plastic litter on the beach please do yourself a favour and just pick it up and put it in your rubbish bag or in a litter bin. You can wash your hands after.

Related pages

Map where to stay Barcelona first time
Barcelona event calendar
All Barcelona hotels

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Last Updated on Friday, 26 January 2024 09:51