DISCLOSURE: This site contains affiliate links, which means that we may make a commission on any purchases that you make through our links, at no additional cost to you. We only recommend products and services that we have used ourselves or have researched and are very highly rated.
Eco-Friendly Practices when Camping
While out enjoying nature, the last thing you want to do is to negatively affect the natural areas that you care about and enjoy, and want future generations to enjoy as well. Those of us using the public (and private) lands for enjoyment have a responsibility to care for these areas, and at least leave them as we found them, if not better.
LEAVE NO TRACE PRINCIPLES
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has established the 7 “leave no trace” principles which were built on by the US Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management in the mid 1980s. These agencies ask that these guidelines be followed in order to reduce your impact on our natural areas. The 7 principles can be found at https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/ and are summarized here, using text from the national park systems website.
Plan ahead & prepare
● Know the regulations & special concerns for the area you’ll visit.
● Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
● Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
● Visit in small groups when possible.
● Repackage food to minimize waste.
● Use a map and compass or GPS to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
● Durable surfaces include maintained trails and designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses or snow.
● Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
● Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
● In popular areas:
-Use existing trails and campsites.
-Walk single file in the middle of the trail.
-Keep campsites small.
● In pristine areas:
-Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
-Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
Dispose of Waste Properly
● Pack it in, pack it out. Pack out all trash, leftover food and litter.
● Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Otherwise, deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
● Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
● To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
Leave What You Find
● Preserve the past: examine, photograph, but do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
● Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
● Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
● Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
Minimize Campfire Impacts
● Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
● Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
● Keep fires small. Only use down and dead wood from the ground that can be broken by hand.
● Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
Respect Wildlife
● Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
● Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, [habituates them to humans], and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
● Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
● Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
● Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
● Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
● Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
● Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
● Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
Let nature’s sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises.
DON’T FORGET THE BASICS – WAYS TO CONSERVE ON A REGULAR BASIS
Remember the Reduce – Reuse – Recycle concepts and incorporate them into your daily life, camping or not !! These things are especially important when you are full-time RVing, especially in remote areas.
Choose eco-friendly campgrounds
If camping at private campgrounds, be sure to check how “green-friendly” they are before reserving a spot. Campgrounds must meet 9 out of 18 criteria in order to be registered as green-friendly with Woodall’s Campground Management / ARVC (National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds). Check out their North American Campground Directory – 2011 or newer – a great book to have anyway!
Reduce Water Usage
Use a low flow shower head with a shut-off valve, and turn water off while soaping up, etc.
Reuse towels. There are quick-drying towels that work well for this – just hang them out after use and you can use them again several times before laundering. Greg finds this to be disgusting, so we got him some dual-color towels so he knows which end is the “face” end.
Get a composting toilet. These use very little water, and aren’t as bad as they sound…. I have to admit that we don’t have one of these yet, but I plan on getting one. It’s a little scary, but there’s a great how-to here by the Wynns of “Gone with the Wynns”.
Save shower water in a bucket or bin. When running water and waiting for it to warm up, capture and save the cool water for use later.
Reduce Energy Usage
RV solar power – Many RVs come already prepped for solar panel installation, and even if yours isn’t, installation is not difficult. If you will be camping “off the grid”, or boondocking, this really is worth it. Read more on the Camping World blog.
RV wind power – small wind turbines are available specifically for RVs. Use either as an addition to solar power, or alone as an alternative to solar power. Cost is low (from what I’ve read, lower than solar) and once installed you have free, clean energy! See a comparison of models on the globotools website.
Park in shady areas, and use an awning to help keep cool.
Install LED lights.
Use solar lights and fans.
Use solar chargers for phones and small electronics.
Invest in a solar shower. Fill it with water before your trip, and just hang it in the sun and voila! Hot showers.
Use a clothes line or drying rack to dry clothes outside in the sun. We also have a small hand-crank washer for small loads of laundry.
Dining Out
Consider eco-friendly restaurants that do not use single-use plastics or styrofoam containers. A list of ocean-friendly and great lakes-friendly restaurants is available through Surfrider.Org. Avoid fast food restaurants, or at least refuse to use straws and plastic utensils when ordering there – bring your own reusable straws and utensils.
Daily Transportation
Ride a bike! Biking is the most energy-efficient mode of transport. Add a basket to the back & pick up your daily groceries at the local farmers’ market.
Walk! If you’re in an area that encourages walking by having trails and walkways, take advantage of it.
Electric Bikes – if you think you can’t pedal as far as you need to, consider an E-Bike. Kits are available to convert an existing bicycle, or buy one complete ready-to-go.
Use public transportation. Buses, Trains, trams or trolleys are easier on the environment and have less airborne pollution than your personal automobile, even if you drive a hybrid.
Recycle
Not all areas have recycling bins; bring a container or bag to put recyclables in until you reach an area that accepts recycling.
Choose products that are recyclable. Don’t use styrofoam or other products that cannot be recycled.
Consider the amount of packaging an item has prior to purchasing it. Many food items have excess packaging – avoid individually packaged items. It is not only better for the environment but also CHEAPER to buy a larger container and then repackage product yourself using reusable containers, such as small glass containers or reusable baggies.
Use “Green” cleaning supplies, bug repellent & sunscreen
Use vinegar, lemon juice, baking soda for your regular cleaning. There are some great suggestions at Earth 911.
For bug repellent, we use EcoSmart brand. The ingredients active ingredients are geraniol, lemongrass oil, rosemary oil and cinnamon oil. We have found it to be as effective as any of the bug repellents normally used, such as “Off” or “Cutter” brands.
Sunscreen should be reef safe if you are planning on spending time in the ocean. Learn more about reef safe products at the Surfrider Foundation. Always use biodegradable, organic, zinc oxide based sunscreens.
Use Sustainable Products
Products that can be reused instead of thrown out, such as reusable utensils and straws, are easy to find and fairly economical, especially when you consider that they can be reused many times rather than disposed of. Use products that are made from sustainable products like bamboo, or that are made from recycled or biodegradable materials. See some of my recommended products on the “Eco-Friendly Products” page.
We would be happy to hear more suggestions below – what things do you do to reduce your footprint?