How you can plan a zero-waste tenting journey

Person holding a reusable water bottle in the forest

In the present day’s put up comes from Senior Advertising Specialist Róisín West.

Image it: you’ve spent three hours climbing below the mid-day solar to achieve the backcountry tenting spot you’ll name house for the subsequent week.

Whenever you lastly arrive, you’re drained and a bit sore—however grateful for the breathtaking surroundings surrounding your website: towering timber, waves lapping the shore, and…dental floss within the grass?

This was my expertise final fall once I arrived at my backcountry website in Frontenac Provincial Park.

Scattered throughout the campsite, dotting an in any other case pristine panorama was a group of bread tags, corners from foil packaging, and the aforementioned floss.

As I surveyed the scene, Deborah Cox’s iconic opening lyric ran by my head: “How did you get right here [bread tag]? No person’s alleged to be right here [granola bar wrapper].”

A sure stage of delight comes with backcountry tenting and the talents required to tough it. However whether or not you’re within the entrance nation or backcountry, tent or RV camper, we will all use a refresher on cut back our influence on nature.

Listed here are my high suggestions for planning a zero-waste tenting journey:

1. Preparation is every thing

Packing for a zero-waste journey takes time, however the payoff is value it.

Begin by getting ready snacks and meal kits at house to restrict the rubbish that comes from pre-made meals.

Pack sitting on picnic table with food in the background.

Make a meal plan based mostly on group measurement, the variety of days tenting, and vitality wants. Excessive-activity days name for additional gas, so plan meals and snacks accordingly to maintain everybody energized.

Prep the meals which have the longest shelf life first—granola, path combine, or snack bars will be made forward of time. Save baking issues like fast breads for the day earlier than to make sure most freshness.

2. Select your packaging properly

I’m a giant fan of reusable vacuum-sealable luggage for travelling. They’re light-weight, hold meals contemporary, and pack down as soon as empty.

Different nice choices embody collapsible silicone containers and reusable snack luggage, which assist minimize down on waste. Earlier than packing, examine for packaging bans at parks, particularly on cans and glass.

3. Don’t depend on compostable or biodegradable packaging

Compostable and biodegradable packaging has gained reputation, however don’t assume it’ll break down in nature.

Many compostable merchandise want industrial composting amenities, whereas biodegradable packaging wants particular circumstances that nature doesn’t supply.

Child eating snacks out of a reusable bag on a picnic table.

As a substitute, go for reusable options that you may pack out!

4. Problem your self to shed pointless extras

Small swaps could make a giant distinction in lowering waste!

Making muffins to your journey? Grease the tins as an alternative of utilizing liners to take away a pesky little bit of waste
Bringing electrolyte combine? Go for tablets in a tube as an alternative of individually wrapped servings

Get inventive and problem your self to move as little single use packaging as attainable.

5. Decant what you’ll be able to, plan for what you’ll be able to’t

Pre-made meals will be handy, however ditch the unique packaging at house.

Close up of reusable containers and water bottles on picnic blanket

If there are specific meals and snacks that may’t be transferred to reusable containers, carry a container for the packaging edges and tearaway strips. These are infamous for blowing away within the wind!

Deliver a sealable container for wrappers and rubbish. I’m a giant fan of utilizing an previous prescription bottle retailer protein bar wrappers, dental floss, and different small waste.

6. Assume exterior the bowl

Lowering waste goes past meals! This will embody swapping out typical lights with battery packs for solar-charged options or utilizing a biodegradable cleaning soap bar as an alternative of liquid cleaning soap.

7. Don’t overlook about your furry mates

Zero-waste additionally means packing out your canine’s poop. Have a plan for transporting your canine’s waste all through your journey and if you end up prepared to move house.

Person holding dog waste with dog and forest in background

plan and durable container or resealable, odour-proof pet waste bag make this a a lot much less pungent job.

8. Packing out will be tough

Guarantee every thing you deliver additionally leaves with you by packing good!

Carry an additional compression sack that attaches to the surface of your backpack for additional packing flexibility.

9. Depart it higher than you discovered it

What’s higher than zero-waste? Unfavourable waste. Problem your self to search out 5 items of litter for every single day that you’re at your website.

Dog backpack with garbage stored in the pocket — Filling my canine’s backpack with rubbish from our website

All the time watch out when choosing up litter and by no means deal with something that would hurt you with out correct protecting tools.

Small steps, massive influence

Changing into a zero-waste professional, identical to different backcountry abilities, takes observe. With each journey, problem your self to scale back waste and assist protect the attractive landscapes that encourage you to paddle, portage, and hike.

Collectively, we will hold Ontario’s pure areas floss- and bread tie-free.