Can we travel sustainably? Yes. Can we power transit with clean energy like solar, wind and electromagnetic? Yes, and collectively we are realizing it more every day. As we evolve toward clean technology and increased access, each of us gains an opportunity to focus on how we as individuals move about our environment – how we travel. Because change takes time, this bottom-up, introspection-to-action strategy will work to our advantage.
In this Sustainable Travel series, I explore my own steps toward conscious engagement with travel experiences – from downsizing luggage, to “traveling local,” to choosing the right gear for urban commuting, and more.
I remember how in high school, there was a time when backpacks were uncool: The height of scholastic fashion was alternating an array of shoulder bags and totes to hold your textbooks. Then, almost everyone embraced comfy-chic come senior year. As a New Yorker, my approach to commuting has, well, graduated.
When I moved to Brooklyn after college almost four years ago, I had a trunk full of purses I’d collected in almost every color and size imaginable. To justify all of them, I would use all of them, forgetting gum and keys or my wallet as I switched bags to match each #ootd. At the height of my hoarding, practicality in fashion choices had not yet breached personal consciousness. Now, since downsizing most possessions and simplifying my physical burden of ownership, I have embraced life as an urban backpacker, with open arms – literally.
Since recently transitioning to my freelance lifestyle, I’ve shifted to working mostly from home, so when I do have meetings with clients across town, I have the opportunity to reflect on how I’ve refined my transit strategy for life on the go, during my first six months in New York, when I commuted daily to the East Village.
While I don’t take a backpack with me every time I leave the house, running hands-free and even-keel while navigating the New York City subway or crowded streets has made commuting more convenient – I can sip coffee, read on the train, or hold open a door. I can pick up and carry home some curbside treasure I find on the way. When it comes to maneuvering a little local life through the city as a commuter, I mean business: Sustainable, practical comfort is key – the beauty is, we all hold it. Personally, my backpack is like a miniature tiny house – I’m the turtle, it’s my shell. So I’m always at home. Whether you’re toting, backpacking or somewhere in between, you can achieve commuter comfort with these easy urban transit hacks that have helped me adjust to life in the city.
Bring your own (start with snacks)
Face it: You’re going to get hungry on the go at some point. While it helps me stave off mid-commute hunger by eating a meal before I leave home, snacking consistently lets me respond in real-time to what my body wants. Bringing your own snacks can make vending machines or other more expensive, less healthy options less tempting. Similarly, by stocking your commuter bag with reusables like travel cutlery, scrap fabric napkins, a to-go container or a beverage mug, you’ll reduce one-use material waste, and always be prepared to pack your leftovers from a lunch meeting, so you won’t be as hungry later.
Food is just the beginning. Bring-your-own is an apt philosophy for assembling a small just-in-case kit, too. That way, you won’t need to buy another replacement lip balm, hand lotion or box of bandaids in a pinch.
Leave a little leeway
By not stuffing my commuter bag to the brim, I leave room for opportunity: If I find or buy something on the way, I have space to bring it home, without a throw-away plastic bag. In general, carrying less means less toll on our backs and shoulders, and a not-as-bulky bag is more generous for crowded public transportation.
Engineer Easy Access
How you pack your bag matters. I like to be intentional about packing in reverse order of when I will use each item: So, if I need to refill my MetroCard, my wallet is on top, and the book I’ll read once on the train is underneath it. (Be sure to store your valuables in compartments that close, preferably with a zipper, to avoid potential pickpocketing.)
I promise that choosing a bag with ample compartments – especially external pouches for beverages – will reward you with the convenience of avoiding a trash heap that’s settled on the floor of your tote. Using a cell phone wallet condenses a phone, license, metro swipe and a few business cards into one packable unit.
Aim for adjustable attire
When faced with a long, multi-event day in the city, I save on the weight I need to carry by layering my outfit of choice with a strategy of fluidity. Leggings and tunics are often versatile and can carry me from work to work-out to go-out engagements. Dressing up an everyday outfit with fancier jewelry is one of my favorite transitional action plans.
Don’t forget, be flexible with footwear. It might seem inviting to forgo rain or snow boots despite the downpour, but remember: our comfort during the commute is the whole point. So don’t invite wet socks, but also, don’t trap yourself in weather boots all day: Slide a pair of flats into your bag. Be realistic about what size heels you’re comfortable standing in all day or night – I stopped wearing high heels last year, and it’s been one of the most freeing decisions I’ve made.
Little Local Life 