Making Camping a Little Bit Greener

Yes, it’s still a slow news week — no new legislation, really. But that doesn’t mean we’ve run out of things to talk about! The weather is absolutely beautiful, with just enough sun to be warm and just enough breeze not to overheat, and today Salem News made a handy list of ways to improve on the great summer art of camping by injecting a little green-thinking into the mix.

For nature lovers, what is greener than staying outside and camping out under the stars, atop the forest floor?

But when I think about my favorite camping spots, vandalism and littering are always two of the biggest problems facing these highly sought-after green destinations.

Luckily, it’s easy to be humbled by nature. For all camping enthusiasts, these Green Quick Fixes will be easy to follow…

Quite a few of these seem like no-brainers: bring your food and supplies in reusable containers, reuse fire pits, and remember to take your trash with you when you leave. Some other things, I may never have thought of:

If you are fishing for food while on your camping trip, dispose of entrails properly so as to avoid attracting bears and other predators. It’s really not a good idea to simply deposit fish remains on the forest floor. You may need to pack and carry the entrails out. You may be able to deposit fish entrails in water (of more than 10 feet deep), unless Whirling disease is a problem for the fish in the region you are camping in. You may also be able to bury entrails in a hole of at least six inches deep located at least 200 feet from water sources. Check with area land managers prior to your trip for appropriate disposal methods.

Here’s a fun fact: I’ve never been camping before. I feel like I’m missing out, as I know quite a few people who have told me it’s a fun and even beautiful experience. So read the article, and then tell me: so long as I keep it environmentally safe, should I get my camp on? I’ve always been nervous about living off the land (and jerky snacks), but perhaps this is the year that everything changes.

Photo via Flickr!

Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 at 9:53 am and is filed under The Daily. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.