In July 2004, while backpacking a section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), I ran into a patch of really nasty weather and bivouacked a night on Lodge Lake (47.408457 N, 121.430168 W), just south of Snoqualmie Summit. I was out of gas for cooking and was soaked to the bone from a torrential downpour that had blown in from Puget Sound.
Getting a fire going quickly was imperative. However, everything in the vicinity was soaked and I had virtually nothing available that would do more than pathetically produce smoke. Ultimately, I was forced to shred the footprint for my Kelty Raptor tent to get a fire going. While it was a real bummer to loose part of the tent, I was grateful for the added warmth in what turned out to be a very cold and wet night.
This experience taught me to always carry the essentials for getting a fire going. This is especially important in places like the Pacific Northwest where heavy rainfall can limit fuel sources. I’ve found that dryer lint is one of the more effective items to carry. It’s light weight and burns extremely well. I’ve also just recently been introduced to Eco-Friendly Fire Starters made by a company called TerraCycle.
For hikers, bikers, campers, and general outdoor enthusiasts who subscribe strictly to Leave No Trace (LNT) principles (and all of you should), this is a product and company you’ll be keenly interested in.
I think it is safe to assume that the majority of people who engage in the camping experience do so because they have a desire to get back to basics and mix it with the magnificence of nature and the outdoors. Whether you are a well seasoned camper or just a novice, camping remains an amazing adventure with nature, sharing and exploring a world so far apart from the busy hustle of the modern life we have become accustomed to. We can all do our bit to ensure that this world remains intact for us (and many others) to enjoy again and again by doing our best to ‘leave no trace’ when we decamp.
Always try to camp on established campsites or sites that have obviously been used before to minimise impact on the environment. This applies to walking tracks too – stay on the formed tracks and don’t go crashing through the bush creating your own track.
The most important thing when eco-camping is waste removal. Always make sure you take every piece of waste away with you or dispose of it in a green and eco-friendly manner. This includes food scraps or any other waste material no matter how biodegradable it may seem. When you leave a campsite always walk around it to ensure you have left no trace of your camping. Dispose of all garbage, even that left by previous campers.
Here is some information that might interest hikers who prescribe to the
Leave No Trace philosophy of
hiking. The below information is about a business that will
recycling many of the non-recyclables that hikers regularly throw out. Anyone can send in their used wrappers for free and for every piece of packaging that TerraCycle receives, participants are awarded with two points, which can be put toward buying a specific charity gift, or converted to money and donated to a charity of the participant’s choice. Here is a press release that was sent out by the people at TerraCycle. We thought it was a cool concept.
TRENTON, New Jersey – June 21, 2011 – This summer, instead of throwing out their garbage, hikers and park-goers have another option for their non-recyclable trash after they pack it out: sending it free of charge to pioneering company TerraCycle® to be recycled. TerraCycle collects people’s trash and recycles the non-recyclable into eco-friendly, affordable, and practical products.
The “leave no trace” policy, which has evolved into the “pack it in, pack it out” policy of taking all your trash out of
the park with you, is furthered by TerraCycle’s Brigade® program, through which people can send in difficult-to-recycle food wrappers for recycling and upcycling and earn cash for charity. Usually, wrappers from products including Kashi, Bear Naked, CLIF BAR, and Revolution Foods, among others, are non-recyclable.
TerraCycle upcycles some wrappers into tote bags, coolers, notebooks, laptop cases and mini-speakers. Wrappers that aren’t upcycled are melted down and turned into plastics such as trash cans, flower pots, and clipboards. The snacks that hikers use while enjoying the outdoors can become eco-friendly, long-life products that support the environment that hikers are enjoying. Instead of just leaving no trace on the parks, hikers and outdoorsmen can also leave no trace on the Earth.
Anyone can sign up for TerraCycle’s Brigade programs and send in their wrappers for free. For every wrapper TerraCycle receives, two points are awarded that can be put toward buying a specific charity gift, or converted to money and donated to a charity of the participant’s choice. Most importantly, the Brigade will be keeping these wrappers out of the local landfills and off the ground.
