Saturday, July 2, 2011

Camping is TOTALLY green!

Summertime brings sunshine and lots of outdoor fun! Camping is a personal fav and I am looking forward to my own trip later this year. Making your camping trip one that doesn't leave a footprint (carbon or otherwise) is not difficult - but just takes a bit of planning. Since any great camping trip takes planning, greening it up won't add any trouble at all! How great is that?!?!

Now I don't know how rugged you folks are, so I am just gonna throw out some basics......since not everyone camps in a tent and not everyone owns an RV. Little bit of something for all of ya!

First off - the clearest way to avoid leaving your mark at your campsite is proper trash disposal. Not only is it important to make sure every bit of your biodegradable dinnerware makes it into a trash bag, it's not a bad idea to use a greener bag itself. Stout is a popular brand that makes biodegradable bags in different sizes to fit your camping needs. They are also a great choice for home too! You can find them at many local retailers. NaturBag is a great website that offers tons of biodegradable products for all your green needs.

Mmmmmmm......s'mores.....let's get the campfire started! Rain or shine, sleet or hail, well...maybe not the last two. But, The Maine Flame has developed an awesome little started made from sawdust from sustainable forests and wax. Don't let it's cute little tree shape fool you - this little thing burns for 20 minutes, which gives you plenty of time to get that fire blazing!

EcoFlame also has a variety of ignition items to suit your every firestarting need. One of my favorites is their cooking kit. It is labled as 'emergency' but will cook up your grub to perfection in any non-emergent situation as well. Don't think that this nifty little product is too pricey to be a part of your festivities - I found it for $11 online! It's a great alternative if you don't have time to get a full fire-a-blazin' before heading out on some daytime adventures.

If you are planning on bringing pots, pans, and reusable utensils and dishes (awesome choice, I might add), you will need some soap to clean them with after each of your gourmet meals. Then take the rest home for the long haul! I have used Seventh Generation products for years and LOVE them. They are affordable, natural, and I can find them locally, which is a bonus. They have an array of goods - so pop on over to their site to see them all!

There are more items than I could possibly list here to help make your camping excursion a little more green. Check my older posts for some additional ideas that are applicable to camping too! Hopefully this will help you get started and spark some new ideas. Don't forget the marshmallows!

See you on the trails,
GB

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