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.

Terracycle Recycled Bilboard Tote Regular Price: $18.00 Special Price

Ever wonder about how much waste comes from the packaging that covers many of the items you bring home from the grocery store? If we recycle so many items, why is it that we do not recycle these other plastics and packaging materials? Terracycle is a company that caters to local communities, including the South Bend and surrounding areas. They take non-recyclable trash, and turn it into something that can be used again. Packaging that may not seem to be recyclable can be. Terracycle has partnered with Frito-Lay, Kraft Cheese, Solo, and Scott to reduce the amount of waste being thrown away. With the weather being warmer, many are having outdoor picnics and many of the food items people bring to such events are just thrown away, destined for our already overflowing landfills. Terracycle offers a way to get rid of your waste responsibly.

Ozark Trail coolers, a line at Walmart stores, have a hard plastic line made entirely from snack packaging that has been recycled by a company called TerraCycle. The coolers range in size from 6-can to 42-can (on wheels) and range in price from $5.88 to $29.88. Anyone can send in their used wrappers to the company 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 For more information, look at http://www.terracycle.net.