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The environmental footprint of your trip begins to form before you even leave home. If you pack wisely, you can do a lot to reduce the negative impact travel can have on the planet. Here's a short list of eco-friendly guidelines to get you started.

1. Use refillable toiletries

Travel-size single-use toiletries make traveling easier, but they are some of the most expensive products on the market. Replace them with reusable containers that you fill at home: they generate less waste and are much more economical anyway. Or, try solid products: soap, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste and other products are available in bar form.

2. Go to the beach? Grab an eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen

Of the sunscreens available in the United States, mineral sunscreens are the only reef-safe options. Chemical sunscreens contain oxybenzone, octinoxate, avobenzone, octisalate and other ingredients that dissolve in water and damage coral reefs. They can cause coral bleaching, DNA damage and deformation of developing coral. Stick to mineral sunscreens.

Outside the United States, keep an eye on bemotrizinol. It is approved for use in many parts of the world, but not in the United States, although the Food and Drug Administration is currently considering approval. There is less research on its effects on corals than on mineral sunscreens, but they are widely considered safer than the U.S. standard for chemical sunscreens.

3. Keep Critters Away with Better Bug Spray

If you're going off-grid or to bug-rich locations, it's possible to stay safe without DEET. The substance often considered the most effective insect repellent has been linked to negative impacts on human health and the environment, and can also break down plastics and damage clothing made from synthetic fibers. Natural repellents like lemon eucalyptus oil can work for shorter durations. But a new entrant to the market, from a California startup called Mimikai, has proven to be as effective as DEET. It's natural, though: The active ingredient is called undecanone, a compound found in wild tomatoes that scientists have identified as the reason insects leave the plant alone.

4. Stay dry with PFAS-free rain or snow gear

So-called everlasting chemicals were once found in almost everything labeled waterproof. Things have changed dramatically in the past two years, with New York and California banning per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in textiles early last year. However, they're not entirely gone, so be sure to look for products specifically labeled as PFAS-free, says Marty Mulvihill, managing partner of Safer Made, a venture capital firm that invests in companies and technologies that reduce human exposure to harmful chemicals; he also co-founded the Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry, an interdisciplinary program housed at the University of California, Berkeley, that develops "greener solutions" for a range of toxic exposures, from cleaning products to shoe soles.

Brands don't need to tell you what chemicals they use in their products, but if they've gone to the trouble of removing PFAS, they'll probably tell you on the label. You can also turn to PFAS Central, a website run by the nonprofit Green Science Policy Institute that maintains a list of PFAS-free products, among other resources.

5. Buy sustainable fibers (that are not plastic)

Are you stocking up on weather-appropriate clothing? Whether it's linen or cotton for warm climates or wool for cold climates, opt for organic fibers: bonus points for regenerative organic, as conventional agriculture has a larger carbon and water footprint. Petroleum-based fibers are plastic, so if you're going eco-friendly, it's best to avoid them as much as possible; Polyester is by far the worst offender, as it is one of the main culprits of the microplastic problem and is so cheap that it directly contributes to the world's growing textile waste problem. Once you're on the alert for polyester, you might be frustrated by how difficult it is to avoid it; you might also persist specifically because of this frustration. Challenge respectful of the planet, accepted.

6. Shop in person or at least be more attentive online

If you're shopping online, don't buy three sizes of an item just to see what fits and then return the rest. A huge percentage of returned clothing is not restocked on store shelves; it is dumped in landfills or sold in bulk to buyers who often export it overseas. Returns also require additional packaging and shipping, which also increases your carbon footprint. Try the old-fashioned practice of shopping in person, or at least looking for the right product and size and buying only what you need.

7. Pack a travel mug…

You'll be surprised how much use you'll get from carrying a mug. You can avoid disposable cups on the plane and in hotel rooms. Take it with you on coffee stops when you're on the move; Disposable cups add up quickly. If bag space is limited, foldable versions can be very useful.

8. …and a bottle of water

This may seem obvious, but it's a must. You definitely need water, and water stations are now ubiquitous in many places. Avoid single-use plastic – you’ll not only save money, but also exposure to microplastics! Foldable versions are also available for this category.

9. Pack travel cutlery in your carry-on baggage

You can buy a set of bamboo cutlery for traveling, but if that's a step too far, take what you already have. “If you have a package of single-use cutlery from a delivery order in a drawer, now is a good time to take it to the airport food court,” says Anna Sacks, a waste expert in New York who goes by the name Trash Walker on social media. She frequently posts about dumpster digs and sidewalk trash hunts where she's found companies sending perfectly usable products to the landfill — food waste outside Starbucks stores, for example — and knows, better than many, that we all have things lying around that can be reused with just a little effort.

10. Pack snacks and containers to put them in

If you pack your own snacks for flights or train rides, you can save money up front and also have containers to carry snacks for the rest of your trip. You can also use them to store restaurant leftovers, which are usually difficult to manage while traveling; Having your own containers can mean being able to seal them to transport them safely in a backpack until you return to the hotel, where you'll then have late-night treats on hand.

11. One or two mini towels. Thank you, Douglas Adams

Because they have unlimited uses, and one or two will go a long way. In a hotel room, use a cloth rather than a disposable makeup wipe. If you're going camping or even staying at an Airbnb, a reusable tea towel or hand towel can replace the need for paper towels. Also store a separate sealable bag somewhere. It can hold dirty towels, shoes or clothes, or any other items, so you can avoid using extra plastic bags, even the hotel laundry bag, when you are away.

12. Bring reusable menstrual products

Replace disposable products with a menstrual cup or menstrual underwear. If you choose underwear, make sure, for your health and that of the planet, that it is PFAS-free. Hand wash and hang to dry in hotel room.

13. Put a bag in your bag

You never know when you'll indulge in souvenirs or snacks that you won't want to eat until later. A reusable tote can also come in handy for the trip home, for carrying suitcase overflows or trinkets too delicate to fit in your suitcase.

None of these will cancel out the carbon footprint of flying anywhere, but they add up enough to matter. A little advance planning can go a long way.