Exploring Sustainable Camping Practices for Eco-Friendly Adventures
Photo by Baikang Yuan
This year, plan your next camping adventure to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible. After all, the earth does so much for us, especially when we’re out in the gorgeous wilderness. It’s only right to pay back the favor.
If you’re considering taking a camping trip, keep these tips in mind as you plan!
Planning Your Trip And Getting There
When you’re planning an eco-friendly adventure, start from square one and plan appropriately.
If you don’t have camping supplies yet, research and find the tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, and water bottles that eco-friendly camping companies offer. Many companies, including Kammok and The North Face, use recycled and sustainable materials, so buy from them and know you’re getting the exact equipment you need while helping the planet. You can also save money and resources by borrowing camping supplies from someone else.
Don’t just choose any campsite. Instead, research the options around where you live and book a sustainable campsite. When you’re looking at different campsite websites, read the fine print and look for those stating that they use renewable power and want you to show respect for local wildlife. Once you find one, consider using a credit card that offers travel perks like cash back because you can use the money you save to buy sustainable camping supplies. If you have a dog, also ensure that the campsite is dog-friendly.
Whether you’re heading to the camp by public transport, car, truck, or RV, make it a point to get there as sustainably as possible. Plan your route ahead of time. Try to take the most direct road possible to avoid unnecessary fuel waste. Also, fill up your tires with air and inspect your vehicle before you go. You’ll keep your family safe and you’ll get the best gas mileage.
Follow Sustainability Practices
Once you're at the campsite, try to enjoy your hiking, fire building, and exploring activities in an eco-friendly way by practicing smart sustainability practices. One of these is to follow Leave No Trace principles. That means you leave the campsite precisely as you found it when you arrived. This will require:
Cleaning up all of your trash
Being careful around plants and wildlife so as not to cause harm
Being considerate of others
Traveling on durable surfaces
A huge part of traveling more sustainably is being careful with your garbage and avoiding unnecessary waste. Don’t take disposable or styrofoam cups, plates, or plasticware on the trip because tossing them in the trash and creating unnecessary waste can be avoided. Instead, use reusable water bottles and canteens, and bring silverware that you won’t want to leave behind. You likely won’t know how many trash receptacles there are ahead of time, so try to repackage your food or combine similar food items so you bring along as little waste as possible.
You must only camp in designated areas and don’t try to forge your own trail because you don’t want to damage plant life and disturb ecosystems. Designated camping spots are designed based on their durability and safety, so don’t risk your life or harm surrounding wildlife.
Eco-Friendly Activities
Whatever you do it for fun during your camping trip, do it with Mother Nature in mind. For example, follow the example you set when picking your campsite and stay on the trails when hiking. Like the campsites, the trails have been designed specifically to ensure your safety. They’re also arranged to preserve the life of the plants and animals around you. Don't worry. You’ll see plenty of nature’s splendor from the trail.
You simply cannot have a camping trip during your summer adventure without having at least one campfire while you tell stories, bond, and roast marshmallows. However, you must practice fire safety. Only build a fire in a designated fire pit, and don’t leave anything nearby that can quickly burn. Keep the fire a manageable size. Don’t let it get out of hand. When you’re done, pour water on the fire and wait at least 45 minutes to ensure it’s entirely burned out.
Finally, take this time to celebrate nature. Take a family hike, bring a nature book, and point out the different plants you see and the animals scurrying around. Bask in the sun's splendor as it filters through the trees and just be one with the forest. By appreciating nature now, your kids will learn the importance of an eco-friendly lifestyle as they grow and they’ll teach their children.
These are our recommendations for sustainable camping trips, and we hope you’ll take our advice. Show Mother Nature the appreciation she deserves, and she’ll give you a fantastic adventure in return.
Sea Going Green is a sustainable tourism consultancy that works with resorts, hotels and tourism operators to create one-of-a-kind environmentally and socially sustainable experiences for guests.