Eco-Friendly Camping Tips

Ecological Sanitation – What is it?

July 18, 2010

Build a Simple Solar Oven

July 20, 2010

July 19, 2010

Green Camping Guidelines for Building Fires

Campfires are an important part of the camping experience. They can also pose a risk to the environment.

Be sure to only use twigs and branches which have already fallen — do not cut fresh branches from existing trees.
Try to use an area previously used to build a fire, as opposed to clearing new space.
Only make small fires, minimizing the impact.
Burn wood or coal completely; never leave embers behind.
Do not burn plastics, and other man-made materials, as they will pollute the air.

How to Dispose of Waste on a Sustainable Camping Trip

The first basic rule of green camping is waste removal. Never leave anything behind. This includes garbage of any form; do not leave food packaging, bottles, tissues, paper, or any other material no matter how biodegradable it may seem. When leaving a campsite or area, be sure to do a thorough search for any trash, even if it was left by previous campers.

All food must be removed as well. Many people assume that it is alright to leave behind leftovers, or to poor out liquids onto the ground. Any foreign substance, from moldy bread to stale coffee, can have a negative impact on a fragile ecosystem. Plan ahead and bring enough bags and containers to be able to take all food refuse away from the campground to be disposed of properly.

Human waste is another concern of sustainable camping. If there are no facilities available on site, it is important to be responsible for personal waste. A simple solution is to dig a hole, six to eight inches deep and two hundred feet away from any water source or other camp area. Cover the hole well when finished. Never leave toilet paper or other hygiene products, even beneath the ground, as animals may dig them up.

Another solution is to use a camping toilet. Either a commercial, eco-friendly model, or a homemade toilet made from lining a five gallon bucket with a biodegradable bag, and then sealing the bucket with a snap on toilet seat and lid. Scoop wood chips or sawdust into the bag before and after use. When full, this bag can be sealed, contained within the bucket, and removed from the campsite.

Washing on Environmentally-Friendly Adventures

While staying in nature, it may not be practical to keep up with normal hygiene practices. It is possible to stay clean and to wash what is necessary. For dental hygiene, bring a container for toothpaste and mouthwash refuse. Do not wash in rivers or lakes, even with natural soaps and shampoos. This will pollute the water, potentially harming wildlife. For cleaning cooking materials, simply use water; do not introduce any cleaning products into the ecosystem.

Green camping ultimately means leaving nature as it was, if not better than how it was found. Following these guidelines is so important to ensure the preservation of the natural environment. Everyone will benefit from an attitude of gratitude for nature, rather than disregard.

Source: greenliving

Environmentally Friendly Products for Camping

Use soaps that are one-hundred percent biodegradable. Non-environmentally friendly soaps harm wildlife and contaminate lakes, ponds, streams, and underground water sources. There are soaps designed for camping that do not contaminate water sources. Burt’s Bees sells a product for camping called “Outdoor All-In-One Wash” that is available in many retail stores.

Steer away from using chemical bug repellents and use a natural herbal product instead. Avoid using fly and wasp traps by using citronella candles, covering food, and using netted outdoor tents. It is better to deter insects while camping than to kill them. Each species of insect has an important function in the wild and contributes to a natural environmental balance.

Wildlife

Resist the urge to feed wildlife. Feeding wildlife accustoms wild animals to human contact and weakens their natural caution of humans, which could put them in danger when around unfriendly humans. In addition, wild animals who are frequently fed by humans can become reliant on obtaining easy food and discontinue hunting or gathering. Wildlife whose diets consist of a significant portion of human food, often are not getting the proper nutrients they need to maintain optimum health.

Don’t allow pets to harass wildlife. Keep an eye on your pets at all times during your camping trip. Don’t allow them to chase wildlife or dig in wildlife burrows. Harassment by pets can cause wildlife to relocate out of fear.

Off Road Parking

Whenever possible, avoid parking off road. The heavy weight of automobiles can compact dirt making it hard for new plant life to grow and the weight can smash existing fragile tree roots.

If you must park off road, make sure to evaluate the ground area before parking, to make sure that you will not be parking on top of plants or an animal’s home.

Trees

Don’t drive stakes into trees or hang hammocks from trees. Stakes driven into trees can injure or kill the trees. Hammocks tied around trees may not seem like they are doing damage, but they often are. The weight from a person lying in the hammock can cause the rope used to tie the hammock onto the tree, to dig into the tree and injure it. Hammocks using a self supporting stand are a tree friendlier option.

Lion at a water hole

Source: excerpts from brighthub.com

Great tips that can be applied worldwide when camping. Water can be limited on a camping trip; ‘waterless ‘ hand cleaners are useful. There are also certain forbs and shrubs whose leaves and fruit can be used as soap, e.g. the Dune Soap-berry (Deinbollia oblongifolia) commonly found in Mozambique and the extreme eastern parts of Mpumalanga, South Africa. When camping in Africa, there are a few other things to consider. If you are camping in a ‘Big 5’ area, i.e. where dangerous game roams freely, make sure you know how to deal with any possible confrontations. Confrontations can end unhappily for one or both sides which is not ‘eco-friendly’! Avoid confrontations by reading and learning about the habits of potentially dangerous animals that you may encounter. Do not camp near waterholes or on game paths. Try to camp in an area where the bush is naturally open (especially to see approaching predators at night). Take a powerful torch with you (preferably an LED wind-up or rechargeable type) and pay careful attention to storing fresh meat out of reach (and preferably enclosed to limit scent). Noise pollution must be minimized while camping. You are there to enjoy the sounds of nature so keep artificial sounds down and speak softly. Sound carries incredibly far at night. A noisy camping party can spoil other peoples’ camping experience even if they are a few kilometers away! Light pollution is another issue- don’t light up your camp with more lights than necessary; rather use small LED headlights. Be mindful when shining powerful torches into the sky and toward camping neighbours. Excessive noise and light at night can also attract unwanted attention from two-legged predators in some areas. Be aware and prepared to defend yourself at all times without being paranoid. Camping in the wilds brings alive senses that have lain dormant in many people for a long time. Respect Nature and she’ll respect you.

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3 Comments

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July 28, 2010 at 10:39 pm

These are very helpful tips that I will try out, I am glad I ran into it. Thanks.
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