It's no secret; plastic water bottles are downright awful for the environment. They aren't biodegradable, and although many of them claim to be recyclable, most plastic bottles end up in landfill which is where they stay for hundreds, if not thousands of years. We suggest investing in a reusable water bottle so you always have it handy. There are several brands that have great looking bottles and even bottles that can hold ice cold water, like the Curacao themed D-TAP by D-Bottle. Ideal for traveling to warm places like Curacao!

How many times have you got a takeaway or finished a pot and thought "hey, these containers could come in handy one day"? Well, we have good news... hanging onto containers like these can assist in your quest to be eco-friendlier on holiday! That old hair mask pot is perfect for your new shampoo bar. That old foundation bottle could be used to decant after sun moisturizer into. You could use an old tic tac box to transport your hair slides. Get creative - the possibilities are endless. And they can end up pretty “Pinterest-ish” too.

According to Earth Policy Institute, humans use over 2 million plastic bags every minute, every day. Avoid adding more to your collection by taking a reusable (shopping) bag with you wherever you go. These bags won't take up any extra room in your luggage, but can definitely help you do your part to reduce the number of plastic bags flowing into our oceans or even worse, end up in animals stomachs. Even better is using one big bag that you can use for multiple purposes; Hand luggage, beach bag and shopping bag. 

A lot of beverages come in plastic bottles. Avoid these by asking the waiter or waitress if they have any freshly squeezed juice or tap water that is safe for drinking (Curacao tap water is safe to drink). You can use your reusable bottle to have it filled up. Fancy an ice cream? Opt for a cone instead of a pre-packaged option. Visiting a farmer's market? Bring your reusable bag. You'll be avoiding plastic and the fresh fruit will keep for longer instead of going slimey! And when ordering an ice cold beverage, skip the plastic straws (Avila only uses paper straws).

Remember the five Rs: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle, raise awareness. Talking to your friends, travel companions, kids and colleagues about avoiding single use plastic is one of the best and easiest things you can do for the planet. Letting your inner circle know that there is no such thing as ”away” when we throw anything away. It must go somewhere, always.

Do you also believe it's important that children grow up with sustainable values ​​in a playful way? Then sign them up for Nature Needs Superheroes at E Mucha (means 'The kid' in Papiamento). It is a FREE educational activity that's part of D-Tap's Water Refill Program, a partner program of the Avila Beach Hotel.

Less plastic is Fantastic!