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.

Belinda McDowell, Cincinnati Recycling Examiner July 24, 2011 This summer many Americans will have many barbecues, celebrations, and parties. So what are you doing with all the chip bags, cookie bags, juice drink containers that are generated from all these festivities this summer? Don’t throw them away! TerraCycle is here to help. TerraCycle is an organization that focuses on reducing waste by creating products with those items that are difficult to recycle or can not be recycled. The organization was founded by a Princeton University freshman in 2001 when he began producing organic fertilizer, packing liquid worm poop in used soda bottles. Waste is collected through brigades and anyone can join or create their own brigade. The waste are collected, sorted and sent to TerraCycle through the brigades. The brigades will earn 2 points or $0.02 per item collected. These points can be redeemable for planting trees, feeding the hungry, providing clean water to global communities, or cash to a non-profit of charity of choice. The types of waste streams collected include drink pouches, yogurt containers, candy wrappers, cookie packaging, MARS drinks fresh packs, chip bags, energy bar wrappers, bear naked packaging, kashi packaging, scott brand packaging and cereal bags just to name a few! For the complete list of waste streams collected go to TerraCycle.net

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.

I recently read an article that claimed our steps to going green, as a country and as a world, have not been as scalable as we imagine. A consumer can’t see the carbon footprint they leave, and this makes it challenging for them to realize how much of a difference they are actually making in cutting back and cleaning our atmosphere. Since the affects of a consumer’s efforts are essentially invisible, it is a challenge to both engage consumers and keep them in engaged in the green movement to be more. People are less likely to be adamant for a cause, or willing to make as big a sacrifice for that they can’t see, touch, and feel the effects of directly. Tangibility makes a difference. It follows logically that to engage consumers, the green movement needs make both the threats and rewards more tangible. Many companies, including TerraCycle partners Capri Sun, Bear Naked, and Clif Bar, rely on consumers to make environmentally friendly choices after they use a product. Instead of simply encouraging consumers to recycle – throw the packaging in a bin and then forget about it forever – they’ve started encouraging upcycling, with which consumers can see their reuse and recycling efforts firsthand.

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.

TerraCycle Jun 10th, 2011 by Sarah Awhile back I received a press release from TerraCycle about reducing the burden of energy bar wrappers: Recycling the Non-Recyclable: TerraCycle Works to "Leave No Trace" on the Earth TRENTON, New Jersey - May 18, 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(r) 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(r) 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. So far, TerraCycle has kept over two billion pieces of trash from leaving their mark on the Earth, and with its partners, dispersed over $2 million to charity through the Brigade program. For more information on how to sign up, send in trash and earn extra cash for your favorite school or charity, visit www.terracycle.net ~Sarah

Most municipalities don’t collect all kinds of plastics. Most people don’t take the effort to sort trash or clean out bottles before tossing them to the curb. Compostable packaging is “too noisy” or “doesn’t feel right”. Most single-use packaging is non-recyclable. Products lose shelf-life and consumer safety by switching to a different type of packaging. Brands face numerous challenges in strengthening the eco-friendly features of their products especially the packaging, and consumers often have no options for recycling or reusing the product or its packaging. Research to create eco-friendly packaging, implementation of more responsible packaging, and the packaging itself is often more expensive than the alternative.  This cost drives up the price and drives away customers regardless of the social or environmental benefits. For brands that want to stay competitive while also becoming more responsible, these problems must be solved.

Check out our food wrapper clothing featured in Green Design!

Saintly Recyclers mail in their trash. Terracycle.net will recycle (usually postage is free) and donate to charity your candy wrappers, yogurt cups, drink pouches, cookie wrappers, Flavia Freshpacks, Frito-Lay chip bags, energy and granola bar wrappers, Bear Naked wrappers, Kashi packages, cell phones, Huggies and Scott tissue wrappers, Aveno tubes, Scotch tape dispensers, corks, cereal bags, Sharpies and Papermate writing instruments, Neosporin tubes, coffee bags, lunch kits (like Lunchables), Colgate tubes and packaging, Ziploc bags and containers, Inkjet cartridges, and Sprout and Revolutions food containers. Preserveproducts.com recycles your No. 5 plastics (same company that has the receptacles at Whole Foods) and water filters into toothbrushes and razors.

The items will be recycled by Terra Cycle when goals are reached and the program is aiming at collecting more than 500 items from each category each month. Following is the list of items which can be dropped off: Mars or Wrigley brand candy bar wrappers; energy bar wrappers; drink pouches; Nabisco cookie wrappers; Kashi brand wrappers or boxes; toasted chip bags; Bear Naked brand wrappers; wine bottle corks; Aveeno product tubes; Scotch tape dispensers and cores; Frito Lay chip bags; Malt-O-Meal cereal bags or boxes; Elmer's glue; Huggie's brand diaper or pull-up bag packaging; Scott's brand packaging; Neosporin brand packaging; lunchable kits; spread (butter) containers; gum wrappers; cell phones; Colgate brand packaging; yogurt cups; writing instruments; Starbucks coffee bags; plastic bottle lids; and used gift cards