Did you know that the amount of paper consumed per person per year is 170 kg? That's 340 sheets of A4 paper! Almost one per day. Bearing in mind that nowadays we can store almost any document on our mobile phones (which, by the way, we always carry around with us), why don't we change our habits?

Our generation is more aware than ever of the need to live in a more sustainable way. And we are living in the digital era. However, we still waste too much paper. Something must be wrong! The biggest contradiction is that, according to a study conducted by the consulting firm Sigma Dos about Generation X, 53.7% carry their tickets for shows or their plane tickets on their phones, but still print them off just in case! Then it dawned on me... I do exactly that! So I decided it was time to change. I like to be extremely well prepared when I travel, so I'll tell you what I do.

• My tips to ensure you have peace of mind when you travel and so you don't waste paper

1. Always check in online

This is essential as it will save you having to go to the check-in desk at the airport to get your boarding passes. Even if you are travelling with a bag, you'll only need to go to the check-in desk to drop it off. When you check-in online you also reserve your seats on the plane. Vueling makes it easy for you – free online check-in opens 7 days before departure. (Read this post if you have any questions about online check-in).

2. And download the app of the airline you're flying with

In order to get your boarding passes on your phone, you'll need to install the app of the airline you're flying with. Vueling's app, available on iOS and Android, shows you your boarding passes and all your flight information, and you can manage your booking and check in online.

3. Save a screenshot of your boarding pass (optional)

In order to have it available in your phone's photo album, as well as on the app.

4. Send a screenshot to your email (optional)

Just to make sure! So if anything happens to your phone (you lose it or the battery runs out), you could access your email from another device and retrieve your boarding pass from there. If you're travelling with someone, you can also send it to them (by email, WhatsApp or whatever).

It didn't take me long at all to get used to travelling like this, and if I think about all my previous journeys, I've had more problems because I lost my paper boarding passes than because my battery ran out or wasn't connected. Now my next goal is to apply this mentality to the rest of my journey, and follow the Zero Waste tips on La Ecocosmopolita's blog in order to make travel more sustainable. It's all about taking little steps!