But, I know camping is a fun activity enjoyed by many as a way of relaxing and appreciating nature. And remember that it only counts as ‘appreciating nature’ if you preserve the environment while you’re experiencing it. So many happy campers leave trails of destruction all through the forest without a care in the world.
But camping green should go a little deeper than that. In order for camping to be a sustainable activity, you ought to make sure your camping equipments/gears are just as green as your intentions.
Now I don’t know much about camping but I read that the following are the basic gears:
- 1. Water
- 2. Food
- 3. Tent
- 4. Sleeping bag(s)
- 5. Ice chest
- 6. Camp stove
- 7. Flashlight/Camp lantern
- 8. Camping Knife
- 9. Camp cookware
- 10. First Aid Kit
So let’s set up a green camping package shall we? It’s a long list so we’re breaking it up into 2 articles, so remember to read part 2 that will be published tomorrow.
1. Water
Organic water is your best bet for a tummy trouble free trip. But you can always just opt for eco-friendly bottled water like that from BIOTA or just fill up your own in an eco friendly carrier/bottle. The thing about BIOTA is, the water is sourced from one of the highest natural alpine springs in the world, high above Ouray, Colorado and comes bottled in a nature-based packaging from NatureWorks ™ PLA that is derived entirely from an annually renewable resource – corn. The bottles are 100% compostable. Only issue here is, the water as with any springwater has a unique taste to it. Some people love it, some people can be bothered about it while others just think it is plain awful tasting.
2. Food
I’m not sure if anyone actually ‘hunts’ or ‘gathers’ from nature for food. So if you’re packing a meal, make sure it’s the one with the least carbon foot prints. This one I don’t think it’s anything out of the ordinary because chances are you’ve already subscribed to such food items at home.
3. Tent
I don’t know much about tents but this one look absolutely fascinating – Orange Solar Tent- but then again it also looks fabulously expensive. So I suppose you would be better off considering something like NEMO’s Nano OZ™, a durable backpacking tent that is made almost entirely of recycled materials. (Even this one costs $499; image how much the futuristic Orange Solar Tent will bleed you for!)
To be continued tomorrow…
