What is eco-friendly camping? It involves heading out into the wild, only utilizing sustainable equipment, with adherence to the “Leave No Trace” tenet. Other than that, typical eco-friendly practices apply in every sense, just as they do for other areas of an environmentally conscious person’s life: not driving to the campsite if possible, avoiding toxic chemicals in your cleaning and camp kitchen products, and many others. Interested in turning over a new, greener leaf? Read on for more tips and eco-friendly camping practices.
Table of Contents
- Eco-friendly Camping: Definition
- Leaving No Trace – Green Camping Practices
- Combining Camping Gear with Being Environmentally Friendly – Examples
- The Takeaway
Eco-friendly Camping: Definition
To properly tackle the subject of eco-friendly camping, we must first establish a definition to be aware of what the term really encompasses. In short, eco-friendly camping focuses on enjoying nature to the fullest while at the same time reducing any potential damage done to it through our actions to preserve it for future generations.
But why is eco-friendly camping important? Respecting our environment and acting responsibly prevents further damage to the often-tenuous situation natural habitats end up in due to unsustainable numbers of visitors to nearby campgrounds. Limiting the impact of human presence in these areas keeps officials from having to close them off to the general public and promotes living in balance with nature rather than selfishly exploiting it.
Leaving No Trace – Green Camping Practices
You may stumble upon the term “Leave No Trace”. Essentially, this principle provides a framework of behaviors to follow to minimize the impact of your activity on your surroundings while out in nature. These rules include the following, to name just a few:
- Respect the wildlife – keep a reasonable distance from any wild animals and abstain from disturbing or feeding them, especially when in the presence of young offspring.
- Dispose of your waste responsibly – pick up and remove your trash, and double-check your campsite when preparing to head back home. Also, without a sewage system available in your vicinity, bury human waste sufficiently deep (in a 6 in x 6 in hole) away from sources of running water.
- Do not disturb plant and animal habitats – limit off-trail exploration to avoid trampling vegetation
- Follow proper campfire etiquette – to limit the damage done by campfires, light them only in designated spots and use eco-friendly fire starters. After finishing, make sure all the embers are completely extinguished.
Combining Camping Gear with Being Environmentally Friendly – Examples
If you want to be a responsible adventurer, you should do a sincere review of what you currently own and see if there are any greener alternatives you could introduce.
When camping at an established campsite with sanitary facilities available, choose eco-friendly hygiene products. Toothpastes, shampoos, and shower gels without toxic chemicals are widely available. Using them prevents these substances from polluting nature in and around the campsite via the sewage system.
Speaking of showering, try to minimize your water usage. To do so, employ reusable water bottles and jugs – they outperform single-use plastic in every aspect. Even better, you can further reduce your footprint and power consumption by using solar-powered charging devices.
To gear out your camp kitchen, use reusable dishes and utensils. Bamboo cookware is widely accessible and environmentally friendly.
When assembling your collection of camp furniture, again, opt for items created out of sustainable, biodegradable materials. Bamboo is once again an option, as are cotton, hemp, or jute, provided they are harvested sustainably. Additionally, choose minimalist designs that utilize less material to reduce your environmental impact even further.
Lastly, the easiest but by far most powerful way to promote eco-friendly camping is to simply spread the message. Informing others of the best practices to follow without harming nature can multiply the effects of preservation efforts, culminating in much greater positive change.
The Takeaway
Swapping to more environmentally friendly camping doesn’t require an untenable amount of money to invest in the right equipment. Borrowing most of your camping gear, replacing the odd item here and there, but most of all, remaining mindful of the “Leave No Trace” principles alone will yield tremendous results in terms of reducing the damage done to nature.
Wherever your next destination may lead you, remember to respect the environment and camp responsibly. Happy hiking!
You may also read: Mastering the Elements: Rain Gear Essentials for Wet Weather Camping