Plastic-Free Camping: Is It Possible?
This past weekend, my friends and I went on a lovely camping trip.
We took the train out to the Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore on Friday and then spent our time laying on the beach, swimming in the cool waters of Lake Michigan, and even partying with a friend's family (his Dad has a house on the beach). We also made some nice campfires and spent hours under the stars talking and drinking whiskey.
Yes, it was a wonderful little vacation, but it had its downside.
I think I may have used more plastic this weekend than I have in the entire year put together.
And it was all my fault. Almost.
I didn't go to the grocery store the night before our camping trip because someone stole the wheel off my bike, my primary mode of transportation and the vehicle I use for my grocery shopping. This meant that I had to wing it and eat what I could find in Indiana. That meant buying turkey dogs in plastic wrappers and various other plastic-ful things. It was sad.
But I'll get over it.
Still, the experience got me thinking. I absolutely love backcountry camping, but is it possible to do backcountry camping trip without plastic? I mean, I usually rely on those freeze dried dinners, which are packaged in a thick plastic bag, because they are light and very easy to prepare after a long, exhausting day of hiking. And that's just dinners. Lunch is typically a bagel or a pita straight out of a plastic bag. And of course, I kind of want everything to be in plastic because it's light and prevents food from getting all over my backpack.
What's a girl to do? Ideas? I don't want to stop backcountry camping!
I guess I'll have to consider adding this to the "What I Haven't Given Up" List. Hmpfh.
We took the train out to the Indiana Dunes National Lake Shore on Friday and then spent our time laying on the beach, swimming in the cool waters of Lake Michigan, and even partying with a friend's family (his Dad has a house on the beach). We also made some nice campfires and spent hours under the stars talking and drinking whiskey.
Yes, it was a wonderful little vacation, but it had its downside.
I think I may have used more plastic this weekend than I have in the entire year put together.
And it was all my fault. Almost.
I didn't go to the grocery store the night before our camping trip because someone stole the wheel off my bike, my primary mode of transportation and the vehicle I use for my grocery shopping. This meant that I had to wing it and eat what I could find in Indiana. That meant buying turkey dogs in plastic wrappers and various other plastic-ful things. It was sad.
But I'll get over it.
Still, the experience got me thinking. I absolutely love backcountry camping, but is it possible to do backcountry camping trip without plastic? I mean, I usually rely on those freeze dried dinners, which are packaged in a thick plastic bag, because they are light and very easy to prepare after a long, exhausting day of hiking. And that's just dinners. Lunch is typically a bagel or a pita straight out of a plastic bag. And of course, I kind of want everything to be in plastic because it's light and prevents food from getting all over my backpack.
What's a girl to do? Ideas? I don't want to stop backcountry camping!
I guess I'll have to consider adding this to the "What I Haven't Given Up" List. Hmpfh.
Comments
You could also take some fruit and veggies with you. Stick em in one of your produce bags, or in an old plastic bag you have on hand.
You could also just try and minimize your plastic consumption ... maybe make some hummus dip, put in an old tupperware container, and buy some pita.
Home made yogurt and honey in your second hand plastic cooler?
I guess the point is, you can do it, it just means a lot more planning.
Also what about hermetically sealed jars? Around the house, they are wonderful. For camping, I have no idea, but it's a thought.
Dagny
www.onnotextiles.com
bamboo and organic clothing
The lentils are awesome.
If there is an army surplus store in your area, it might be worth checking out. They may have a variety of meals meant for backpacking. I'm not sure if they come in plastic.
I also immediately thought of the packaged pasta and rice side dish pouches available at the store. A nice camping desert could be some homemade bread and cherry pie filling to make some dumplings.
I don't do backcountry camping, but can't you carry dried fruit or meat wrapped in wax paper and cook things like rice or oatmeal (stored in paper bags) at camp?
Liz
My advice would be this: wrap foods individually in paper bags and tin foil, then pack them in a tin, either a cooking tin with a lid (I have one, very lightweight and useful,) or just some other lightweight storage tin especially for the purpose. You may only need to use the tin for "juicy foods" like the hot dogs, and keep the dry stuff in paper bags.
You will be sacrificing some weight with the tins, and some foods might get a bit messy, but chances are you might need a cooking tin anyway, so you might as well get one with a clamp lid so you can store the food you intend to cook in it!
Try this stowaway pot from REI: http://www.rei.com/product/601897
Basically, though, food storage seems to be the least of the worries. I personally can't seem t find a single pack or stuff sack or sleeping bag without some plastic bits on it. But, like you said, I'll be using these things ad infinitum, so maybe it's not such a concern.
Love your blog!
My rucksack.. nylon with lots of plastic clips
My tent... ripstop, or something similar
Boots.. synthatic soles
Waterproofs - Goretex. certified synthetic..
Sleeping bag. Down :-) in a synthetic outer.
Cotton tent, Canvas rucksack, make your own sleeping bag????
... or use what you've got till it wears out.
Food packaging. Tin boxes and cans make good alternatives to plastic or bottles. I hang on to any I find!
Food in paper packaging will need to go inside something more resilient to avoid spillling e.g. rice in your rucksack. A cloth bag may do.
Cloths and greaseproof paper can work for wrapping stuff.
'oilskin' is traditional... I can imagine that waxed cloth would make practical wipe clean bags.
A great aömbitiion.. but it's going to be tough. Most alternatives are going to nudge your pack weight up
By the way... you can make your own dried meals. You should be able to get info on the www. Basically long slooow cooking at low
temperature.
I love reading your blog :-D
Oh, and thanks for your food tips!
We just came back from a week long cycle trip (not quite backpacking, but we were carrying a lot of food). It took a lot of extra planning and prep, but this is what we settled on: We made granola bars, cookies, and energy balls in advance. We ate things like falafel, dried fruit, trail mix and pasta all of which can be bought in the bulk section and carried in cloth bags. You can also find dehydrated hummus and bean soup in bulk some places. I sucked up the extra weight and carried a small glass jar of pesto and fresh veggies like carrots.
But, what do you do for water? All our bottles and bladders are plastic or lined or capped with plastic.
As for camping gear, as long as you are using it until the end of its life, I think it's ok. Plastic is an amazing material, and I don't think you can compare the quality of a lightweight waterproof tent to a shopping bag that lasts half an hour before heading for the landfill.
How about organic cotton bags and such like you would at the market and filling them with nuts, beans, granola and other dried foods?
Anyway, good luck on exploring options for plastic-free backcountry camping... it does seem like a real challenge.
I look forward to reading more posts. =D
http://isbn.nu/9780963235930
(Also in WorldCat & available through your library, but WorldCat doesn't do persistant links.
And he's an advocate of cooking with whole, fresh foods on the trail. Says that even packing potatoes & all, he has to resupply only once per week. I haven't tried it on that scale, but my experience supports his point that eating fresh, whole food on the trail helps your body so much as to more than make up for the small amount of extra weight.
It helps to use efficient cooking techniques like flash-steaming: Cut your veggies thin, boil a table spoon of water under a lid, pop the veggies in and reclose immediately, turn off the stove & let sit. This really stretches your fuel.
Good luck! And thanks for your blog - I'm learning a lot.
I really really appreciate your blog and the effort you're taking to make a difference! Kudos to you!
Tina