{"id":24770,"date":"2025-06-11T20:40:37","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T20:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecocycle.org\/?p=24770"},"modified":"2025-12-15T01:41:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T01:41:32","slug":"on-the-road-june-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecocycle.org\/on-the-road-june-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Zero Waste on the Road: My Travels in Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From snowy Buffalo to sun-soaked Mexico, Thea Hassan\u2014Eco-Cycle contributor and AMBR Communications Manager\u2014spent two months exploring how to travel with a lighter footprint. In this blog, she shares her low-waste travel tips, the unexpected challenges she faced, and eye-opening observations about waste and sustainability in Mexico.<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What does Zero Waste travel really look like in practice?<\/strong> From what you pack to how you move through the world, here\u2019s how I (Thea Hassan, Eco-Cycle contributor and Communications Manager for the Alliance for Mission-Based Recycling<\/a>) approached it on my two-month trip through Mexico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pack for Zero Waste<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First things first, I pack to use less. My reusables\u2014a stainless steel coffee mug, water bottle, and durable cutlery\u2014are always easily accessible <\/strong>in my carry-on bag. <\/strong>Pro tip: TSA confiscates anything they consider \u201cknife-like,\u201d so leave your reusable knife at home to avoid bag searches, delays, and having your stuff thrown away (Denver airport, you owe me a knork!<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To get around liquid restrictions, I pack bar soaps for my face and body<\/strong> (bonus: they won\u2019t explode in your bag). For longer trips, like my two-month Mexico stay, I waited until I arrived to buy larger items like shampoo, conditioner, and sunscreen. It\u2019s a great way to experiment with local products<\/strong>!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To avoid overpriced, plastic-wrapped airport snacks<\/strong>, I pack healthy, uncrushable snacks like apples, carrots, nuts, and crackers. Once I land, I continue carrying my reusables and snacks in my day bag to avoid on-the-go purchases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn Culture Through Infrastructure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of my favorite things about travel is learning how things work in other places, and local infrastructure reveals so much about a place\u2019s values as well as challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Mexico City, you\u2019ll likely hear a rhythmic voice echoing through neighborhoods, chanting: \u201cColCHONES . . . estUfas . . . tambORes . . . refrigeradORes . . .\u201d That\u2019s a scrap collector, calling for old mattresses, stoves, and other home appliances<\/strong>. The call eventually blends into the sounds of the city, alongside barking dogs and bird calls.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Collection truck in Mexico City<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Here\u2019s what else stood out: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n