Getting ready to go to Origins, I've been thinking about how many of the things we do while traveling are more wasteful than what we would do at home, and which of these things we can improve. I thought it might be useful to share ideas on this list. These are some things we've done in the past, and will do again: Car-pool with friends from your area. This also saves on parking fees! Avoid getting the hotel room cleaned unless it really needs it. If we do let them clean the room, do whatever the hotel says to do (many hotels now have a little sign explaining their policies on this subject) to hang onto bedding and towels that are clean enough for additional use. Bring home open bars of soap from the hotel to use at home. By the way, our method of using bar soap in the shower allows the whole bar to get used with no gooey mess! Get one of those nylon-mesh scrubby puffs and cut the string that holds it together, so that it unrolls into a long tube of mesh. Put a bar or two (or odds and ends) of soap into one end of the tube and tie it closed, creating a bag. Tie the tube around the neck of your showerhead, or any hook or towel rack you may have, such that it hangs down the desired amount. Cut off the rest of the tube and save to make a new soap bag when this one wears out. In addition to eliminating the problems of flooded soapdishes and tiny useless soap bits, the mesh bag helps you make a nice lather. Bring and/or buy at North Market some large packages of food that can be eaten over several meals and/or shared, instead of buying food in a big plastic box for every meal. Pack a tote bag with lightweight dishes, a set of utensils, and some cloth napkins or washcloths. Use these instead of disposables whenever you can. For example, if you're buying Indian food you'll have to take it in their plastic box (most food sellers are not allowed to serve into the customer's container--though you could ask), but you don't have to pick up a plastic fork and paper napkin. At the end of each day, wash your dishes and put dirty napkins with your dirty clothes. If carrying stuff around with you seems like too much hassle, at least take your own supplies to the hotel's breakfast and then back to your room. Use the drinking fountains instead of buying bottled water. Bring a reusable water bottle or travel mug for the car or if you like to sip water constantly while playing games. When buying single-serving beverages, choose aluminum cans over plastic bottles. Aluminum recycles more efficiently. Any other ideas? ---'Becca