Green Camping

The Hip Mountain Mama Family headed out West last week for a 3 night camping trip in Moab Utah.  The 4 of us have been camping for several years and each year we try to be more and more aware of our impact on the Earth when we camp.  I have had some requests to write a green camping post on ways to lessen your waste when camping.  I am no expert, but do have a lot of camping experience and am happy to share with you the ways we go light on the Earth when camping.

1 Bring Reusable Plates, Bowls, Cups, Utensils: If you have sturdy plastic plates, bowls, etc. in your home already, then use these. If you don't, then a small investment in some stainless steel, bamboo, or plastic items is the way to go. Each family member only needs 1 plate, 1 set of utensils, 1 bowl, and 1 cup to be cleaned after each use and used again. We used our To Go Ware Bamboo utensils and absolutely love them! 

2.  Eliminate Paper Products:  Along with leaving the paper plates at home also forget about the paper towels!  We don't even bring them.  I bring dish cloths and Eco Scrubs to clean dishes and even a hand knit wash cloth to wash faces.  I hang some yarn somewhere at camp and use clothes pins to hang up wet dish cloths to dry during the day.  If you use Eco Scrubs, they dry really fast and work really well!  We also bring along hankies and at the end of the day wash them with water then hang them up to dry. 

3. Use a Natural Biodegradable Camp Soap: We use Dr. Bronners for washing dishes and hands! You can find specialty camp soaps at your local camp store. Do not use soap in rivers or lakes.

4. Use a Natural Sunblocker and Bug Spray: There are several natural options on the market for sunscreen and bug spray.   Check out your local natural food store.

5. Pack it Out: Even if you bring reusable items, you will still end up with trash. Make sure to bring a trash bag so you can bring your trash out of the camp site with you.  Separate all recyclables and pack them out also to be recycled. 

6. Campfires: We love evening camp fires while camping! Make sure to only burn wood fallen from trees....do not cut down branches from a living tree. Build campfires in designated fire rings only and never burn plastic or other toxic materials.

7. Campsite: use existing campsites to prevent impacting new areas and pitch tents in cleared spots.

8. Have fun: Enjoying nature and (if you have kids) teaching our kids how important it is to respect nature is a great way to have fun while camping. Explore nature and play with what is available rather than bringing too many gadgets or toys from home (if camping with kids you may want to bring a few balls, hula hoops, or jump ropes). Going with other families can be a great way to make the experience more special and fun and can help kids to appreciate their natural surroundings.

We do our best to take care of our Earth and it is important to get out and enjoy ourselves in her beauty. If you follow a few simple guidelines while camping, it can be eco friendly and fun!

Green Camping