Camping Sustainably
Really Leaving No Trace: Sustainable Camping
How can you shrink the carbon and ecological footprint of your campout?
This is Deep Green Scouting!
Transport
- If driving, share your ride
- Travel to and from camp using public transport, where practicable
- Price for carbon offsets, where public transport not practicable
Menu Design
- Increase focus on vegetables
- Eat less volume of meat: make it just one part of the meal, not the main part
- Avoid farting cows: Eat meats further down the carbon footprint spectrum: beef>>lamb>pork>chicken>fish
- Study your menu, “opting out” of higher carbon impacts (beginner); or start with a vegetarian menu, “opting in” to higher carbon impacts (intermediate)
- Calculate carbon cost of meals along with financial cost (intermediate); or set financial and carbon budgets for meals first, then shape meals to fit budget (advanced)
- Be creative! Create sample great low/no meat menus, with cooking methods
- Source your food locally, to minimize transport impacts
Cooking Sustainably
- Choose methods that maximize thermal efficiency and minimize fuel packaging waste (calculate relative efficiencies of the various stoves, fuels and other methods you currently have: is it better to use one larger stove with a large refillable fuel container, or two small portable stoves with disposable fuel containers?)
- Think about carbon and trash footprint calculations when planning future purchases
Campfires
- Make sure there are no fire restrictions in force
- For ground fires, use an established fire ring if one is present
- If no fire ring, use a firepan or build a mound fire
- Choose a spot at least 15 feet away from your tent, trees, or anything flammable
- Don’t transport wood long distances, to avoid transporting invasive species
- Use only dead and down wood, collected away from your campsite
- Never leave a fire unattended
- Make sure fire is properly extinguished: burn to ash, and scatter the cold ashes
- Campfires are not garbage cans. Don’t burn excess food: even partially burned food attracts wildlife
Minimizing Waste
- Buy food in bulk, and bring what you need in reusable containers
- If food is individually wrapped, repack at home in reusable containers for easy recycling of packaging at home
- If you need just part of a larger container of bulk food (spices, condiments, hot chocolate mix, peanut butter, honey, etc), transfer to small reusable containers and bring only what you need
- Calculate and bring food portions properly to minimize waste (there is almost always too much food on a campout, not too little)
- Avoid single-use gear
- Cleaning: bring a stack of quick-dry, reusable cloths, instead of paper towels
- Eating: use washable gear, not disposable
- Drinking: use personal reusable water bottles
Trash Talk
- Sort trash at the campsite (use multiple, clearly-labelled bags)
- Recycle whatever is recyclable in your area (carrying it home if necessary)
- Carry out your trash (this will also encourage you to make less)
- Leave No Trace – all through your campout, and especially at the end
Clean Cleaning
- Soap: Many soaps contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Try Dr. Bronner’s or other biodegradable soaps and dish soap
- Toothpaste: Many kinds of toothpaste contain toxic ingredients which can be harmful to animals and plants. Try an all-natural toothpaste
- “Grey” (dirty) water: Check guidelines in the area. Wipe out dishes and dispose of any excess food before washing. Use biodegradable soap. Wash at least 200 feet from any water source. Never put soap (even biodegradable), food or human waste in any water source. If dumping grey water is allowed, spread it over a wide area away from your campsite, choosing a different place each time.
