Tips for an Eco-Friendly Camping Trip
April is not only Earth month, but it also marks the official beginning of camping season! In honor of those two events, we’d like to share some tips on how to enjoy a camping trip in a way that reduces your impact and helps you enjoy the outdoors responsibly!
1. First piece of advice: Rent your gear instead of buying it new.
Not only is this generally much more cost effective than buying everything new and potentially only using it a few times, it reduces excessive production of new items. You can find items like tents, chairs, backpacks, clothing, and more at several rental sites such as Arrive Outdoors, Xscape Pod, REI, and Outdoors Geek.
2. Choose a more environmentally friendly fuel for your fire
Obviously this is one of our biggest suggestions, and here’s why: regular firewood burns with more sparks and more smoke, plus if you transport it across long distances (careful, this is typically not allowed) you run the risk of transporting forest-killing pests and diseases. Instead, pick a firewood alternative such as our All-Wood Firelogs – they burn with more heat, 50% fewer emissions, and virtually no sparks. They’re also much easier to store, transport, and light!
3. Practice behaviors that help you leave no trace, or preferably, leave it better than you found it
Actions such as picking up trash, making sure to pack your trash in and out, staying on trails, and cleaning up after yourself and your pets can help you reduce your impact while camping. We recommend bringing a designated trash bag and gloves for picking up trash during your trip – safety first!
4. Reduce your plastic usage and opt for low waste meals
Prep snacks ahead of time in reusable containers, visit a bulk store if you have access to one for snacks like granola and trail mix, bring refillable containers of water instead of single use water bottles, opt for meals that don’t require dishes, or use and wash reusable dishes.
Camping should be fun, but not at the expense of our environment. We hope these tips help you enjoy your trip in a responsible and fun manner!
Have any other ideas on how to enjoy a more eco friendly camping trip? We’d love to hear!