Many automotive campers and backpackers depart a campsite with a trash bag or two filled with waste. Even should you make your finest effort at dwelling to cut back your environmental impression, it’s simple to let these good habits slide on a automotive tenting journey.
Or, what number of occasions have you ever pushed to a campsite and located the rubbish bin overflowing with trash, and even worse, discovered complete rubbish luggage of trash dumped by the bogs?
I’m all the time searching for methods to recreate extra responsibly, scale back my environmental impression, and Depart No Hint on my adventures. Decreasing waste whereas tenting, whether or not in a tent or camper van (and actually in my on a regular basis life), is an enormous one.
Save this put up!
Enter your e-mail & I will ship this put up to your inbox! You will additionally obtain my weekly publication filled with useful recommendation for planning your adventures.
Whether or not it’s disposable utensils, plastic bottled drinks, or extra packaging, there’s most likely extra in our trash luggage than there must be (I’m responsible too!). Listed below are just a few ideas I comply with to attempt to scale back the quantity of waste I produce on my tenting journeys.
This put up could comprise affiliate hyperlinks.
Ditch Single-Use Disposables
The primary perpetrator of pointless waste whereas tenting is in my camp kitchen. Issues reminiscent of disposable plastic utensils, Solo cups, Ziploc baggies, paper plates, plastic water bottles, and meals objects packaged in plastic add up over time.
So earlier than I head out, I all the time take inventory of my camp kitchen necessities to see if there’s any room for enchancment, then put collectively a bin of reusable provides to cut back waste whereas tenting.
Listed below are just a few of my favourite reusable camp kitchen objects:
Prep and Pack Meals From Residence
I wish to seize my reusable meals containers and pack my cooler filled with contemporary or pre-prepped meals from dwelling to cut back waste whereas tenting. From selfmade sandwiches and wraps to batch-cooking granola, path combine, or different energy-boosting snacks, there are numerous methods to keep away from the pre-packaged meals in the marketplace.
Whereas zero-waste tenting is in the end the tip aim, I do know it’s not a straightforward transition. Listed below are a few of my favourite camp meals that usually don’t come wrapped in plastic and are simple to prep or make forward of time:
Should you’re a backpacker attempting to maintain it light-weight and helpful, these grab-n-go bars and dehydrated backpacking meals could be your finest wager. For automotive campers who have to feed a crowd, it could be laborious to keep away from store-bought objects altogether, so do what you possibly can and construct on it as you go.
As all the time, an important factor is to pack out and correctly get rid of no matter waste you create, regardless of how small.
Get rid of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles
Utilizing plastic water bottles is likely one of the quickest methods to accrue pointless waste whereas tenting — to not point out in our on a regular basis lives. With so many reusable water bottle choices these days, there may be completely no want for this – it’s time to kick the plastic water bottle behavior for good.
Plastics are polluting oceans and waterways. Plastic water bottles additionally take up a ton of house and easily aren’t a good suggestion – regardless of how handy they could appear.
Use a big reusable water bottle as a substitute (Hydro Flask is my favourite) or a hydration pack in your mountain climbing backpack as a straightforward, environment friendly different for zero-waste tenting. Should you’re packing for a bunch, deliver a much bigger water container – like this 5-gallon jug – you could refill at camp. Many Nationwide Parks and State Parks have potable consuming water refill stations, however it’s best to all the time verify forward of time.
Another choice for automotive campers staying for an extended interval with a water supply close by is to use a water filter. Amassing and safely filtering your personal water is an particularly nice possibility for saving some room throughout a multi-day journey.
Don’t Purchase Miniature Toiletries
It’s tempting and simple to toss just a few small, disposable toiletries in your automotive earlier than an epic weekend of peak-bagging. Nonetheless, since you aren’t restricted to travel-sized 3oz liquids like you’re for carry-on air journey, why not simply pack your regular toiletries to your automotive tenting journey?
If house is a matter, purchase reusable containers as a everlasting substitute and easily refill as wanted – that means you buy them as soon as and also you’re set. I like these goToob+ containers, and Nalgene even makes small reusable containers in various sizes for toiletries.
Multi-purpose, natural, biodegradable merchandise like Dr. Bronner’s cleaning soap can work wonders for cleansing your arms, face, and dishes! Considering outdoors the field is essential relating to zero-waste tenting, and also you may simply be shocked by what you give you.
Use a Refillable Propane Tank
In accordance with the California Product Stewardship Council, 40 million disposable propane cylinders are used yearly – now that’s quite a lot of waste. Particular person propane cylinders are costly to recycle (after they’re recycled), however many are improperly disposed of and find yourself in landfills.
Refillable propane tanks are a straightforward reply that reduces waste whereas automotive tenting, helps the setting, and saves you cash besides. You should buy refillable 1lb propane bottles (the identical dimension as the everyday ones out there at outside shops). Should you camp typically or journey in a camper van, you could wish to purchase a bigger 5, 10, or 20-lb cylinder so you possibly can go for much longer with out having to refill.
Use Rechargeable Gadgets
Shopping for batteries to your flashlights, headlamps, lanterns, and audio system is pointless now that there are rechargeable choices on the market. One-time-use batteries should be disposed of correctly at particular hazardous waste drop-off websites – in reality, it’s unlawful to throw single-use batteries within the trash in California.
While you’re available in the market for a brand new headlamp, lantern, or speaker, buy one with a chargeable battery, and go for an energy-efficient LED possibility that can last more.
Listed below are a few of my favourite rechargeable merchandise for tenting on the extra eco-friendly facet:
Depart No Hint (and Depart It Higher Than Earlier than)
After hours of driving, you lastly pull as much as a campsite that you simply reserved on-line months in the past, anticipating to see nothing however a clear and pristine space — solely to discover a pile of trash and some empty beer cans strewed across the fireplace ring. It’s disappointing and nobody desires to reach at that form of scene, not to mention have to select up one other camper’s rubbish, however it occurs.
To keep away from this state of affairs, bear in mind to all the time comply with the Depart No Hint rules by packing out each final merchandise and piece of trash that you simply introduced with you. This contains issues like used rest room paper, tissues, and any damaged or undesirable gear. Bonus factors should you choose up different trash you discover on the campsite that isn’t yours!
Regardless of in case you are well-versed in the right way to Depart No Hint and follow it usually, right here’s one thing else to contemplate: discover ways to make a campfire that leaves no hint. Small issues like burning your trash, recyclables and leftover meals could seem innocent however they’ve a much bigger impression on the setting than we would understand.
Use Toilet Amenities & Know Tips on how to Poop Outside
It’s price noting that it’s best to all the time use lavatory services in the event that they’re out there to cut back impacts in your campsite and the encircling areas. I’ve been to campsites that odor like pee, and I’ve even encountered human waste and used rest room paper in bushes which is SO not okay.
If there are not any lavatory services the place you’re tenting, deliver a moveable, folding rest room or dig a gap 6-9″ deep a minimum of 200 ft away from water sources, trails, and campsites, do your corporation, bury it with grime, and get rid of your used rest room paper within the trash or pack it out along with your rubbish. Try the whole information to pooping outside for extra on this subject.
One factor to notice is that the tactic of pooping outside outlined above will not be okay all over the place. Some areas are notably delicate, reminiscent of desert environments and slender river canyons, and require that human waste is packed out in wag luggage if no lavatory services can be found.
Separate Your Recycling & Compost
Carry an additional field or dedicate a trash bag simply to your recycling whereas automotive tenting. That is a straightforward method to divert a few of your automotive tenting waste from landfill to recycling!
Do you know that though 75% of all waste is recyclable, solely about 30% finally ends up being correctly recycled? Correctly separating your waste whereas automotive tenting can have a huge impact!
Some campgrounds have separate bins for recycling. If not, I take my recycling dwelling with me so I can recycle it correctly. I put it in a separate trash bag or bin – it’s a cinch!
Should you compost at dwelling, why not pack a small seal-tight container to your meals scraps? They’ll be superb in a bin for a few days, and if it seals tight, you received’t odor a factor.
Should you don’t compost at dwelling, take a look at ShareWaste for locating hosts to drop off your compost whereas on the street. Meals waste is the #1 merchandise that results in landfills, so composting can have an enormous constructive impression!
Reuse Baggage & Containers for Trash
Whereas I all the time deliver a trash bag alongside on my tenting journeys so I’m ready to pack out my trash, I first attempt to reuse the luggage I have already got. This can be a handy method to scale back my use of plastic.
The ziplock bag my tortillas got here in makes an ideal receptacle for used tissues or TP. The plastic bag my burger buns got here in can function a mini trash bag, too.
Reuse no matter supplies you possibly can to cut back waste whereas automotive tenting.
Incessantly Requested Questions
My largest tip to cut back meals waste whereas tenting is to solely deliver what you recognize you’ll eat. With the intention to do that, I take time earlier than my journey to plan my meals and parts so I do know precisely which substances and what number of objects I’ll have to pack. If I find yourself with leftovers, I share them with different campers or stick them in my cooler to eat as soon as I get again dwelling. I additionally attempt to cook dinner camp meals that make the most of the identical substances to repurpose them.
To scale back the environmental impression of your toiletries, use eco-friendly and biodegradable merchandise. If I’m solely tenting for an evening or two, I’ll typically forego a bathe altogether and use physique wipes. If I want a bathe, I take advantage of strong shampoo bars and cleaning soap to cut back plastic waste. I like to make use of toothpaste tablets (that are higher for the setting) and ensure to get rid of my used water a minimum of 200 toes from pure water sources.
It’s tempting to achieve for paper plates and napkins when packing for a tenting journey since you’ll have fewer dishes and laundry to do. Nonetheless, investing in a set of reusable tenting plates and material napkins might help reduce on paper waste from single-use merchandise. I additionally attempt to reduce on utilizing rest room paper when doable through the use of a reusable pee material (like a Kula Fabric).
Save this put up to Pinterest
How do you scale back waste on automotive tenting journeys? What areas are hardest to sort out? Share your sustainable tenting ideas, feedback, and questions beneath!
