Room for Change: Camping

Camping baffles me. While modern living gives us beds and walls and roofs, there is a subsection of humanity that nonetheless chooses — chooses! — to sleep on the ground sheltered by little more than a house-shaped windbreaker, and to cook their food without benefit of oven, air fryer, or sous vide. A friend of mine looks forward, each year, to his winter camping trip in Canada’s Northwest Territories, which … shudder. 

Nonetheless, I can’t deny that camping fits into a commendable “back to nature” ethos and that, done right, leaves a far lighter footprint on our planet than staying in a cabin or cottage. I say “done right” because all human activity, of course, has an impact, but activity “done right” has a smaller one. 

I reached out to a few keen camping friends, including Bluedot contributor and happy camper Sam Moore, to get specifics on “done right.” Their tips range from food to gear to best practices. 

Sam’s gear advice hews to my own regarding equipment of any sort: “The most eco-friendly gear is what you already have,” he insists. Sam has used the same backpack for at least a decade — long enough that he can’t recall its provenance. 

When he does need something new or has to replace something that’s worn out, he turns to secondhand options. “Depending on where you live, there are some great resources for used camping gear, and often in those places you can also find people who are knowledgeable about making recommendations,” Sam tells me. “Up here in Maine, we have the Portland Gear Hub, as well as some nice cooperatives like Maine Gear Share.” Look for similar local hubs in your area. Or check out online sites such as Geartrade, REI ReSupply, Rerouted, and Out & Back. 

The Clothing

For good secondhand outdoor clothing, look at Patagonia, Arc’teryx Regear, and North Face Renewed. Patagonia has a repair program to mend their gear for free. Other outdoor gear retailers also have repair programs: REI partners with Rainy Day Repair, which can mend garments, tents, and sleeping bags; and Osprey repairs backpacks of any age. Patagonia, Northface, and REI also offer store credit to customers trading in gently used gear, which they sell on their website at a discount. Sam adds that many local gear hubs also fix gear. (Another great way to fix gear is to go to a Repair Café, where you can often find something or someone to help you mend a tear, fix a zipper, or otherwise restore your gear to functionality.)

Sam urges wariness when facing sales pitches for new gear. “I think the brands associated with camping and hiking have a tendency to insist that you need the newest, lightest, and most high-tech camping gear, and it should be stylish, too,” he says. “But unless you’re a professional, an old flannel and some sturdy work pants can be just fine.” 

Sam also avoids synthetic fabrics. “I’ve grown to really appreciate wool, which is comfortable and stays warm when it’s wet. In my experience, it also gets way less stinky [than synthetics] after a long day of hiking. But it’s also because I am a little bit haunted by the thought of constantly leaching microplastics into the streams and lakes of the wild places [where] I like to camp.” 

Sam’s camping (and life) partner, Kelsey Perrett, who used to be Bluedot’s digital projects manager, is a fan of wool, too. But she’s also fond of Coalatree’s recycled coffee clothes, made from spent coffee grounds, which she describes as “cozy and odor-neutralizing” and great for camping.

If you find yourself in the market for camping gear beyond clothing — and, like Sam, you want to minimize your impact on the outdoor spaces you love — let’s get you outfitted and into the wilderness.

The Tent

Most tents are made from synthetic fabrics derived from fossil fuels. Some are eco-friendly, made from recycled materials and by people paid fairly, and with some legit certifications attached. Camping gear manufacturers Kammok and Nemo both subscribe to Sam’s ethos: Buy good quality (often made with recycled materials and fewer chemicals), and then use it for a lifetime. Nemo offers online tutorials on how to make repairs, or you can request a spare part or ask Nemo to do the repair. Kammok offers a lifetime warranty.

If you’re a fair-weather camper, you can eschew a tent altogether and stargaze as you nestle into a hammock. Or simply use a tarp. Again, Nemo and Kammok have options for both.

Consider, also, where you pitch your tent. If you’re at a campground, stick to approved locations. If not, steer clear of vegetation and seek out durable surfaces such as rock, sand, gravel, or dry grasses to avoid harming plants. Unless you’ve been instructed otherwise, don’t pitch a tent closer than 200 feet (think 70 steps) from existing water sources, as wildlife often makes its trek to water at night. You likely don’t want a face-off with a moose or a bear, but nor do you want to deter them from getting water. 

The Food

Another friend of mine who pitches her tent in various of Canada’s provincial parks insists that prepping is key to delicious camp-friendly meals. “Everything should be prepared in advance at home if you want good food,” she tells me. 

“Sauces for pastas or salad dressings … into little reusable containers they go.” She adds, “I cut and parboil potatoes in advance, and then you have hash browns for breakfast and throw eggs right over them. Mix your own pancake mix in Tupperware. [Throw] anything in foil packets over fire, such as chicken and peppers and onions for fajitas.”  

She recommends that you freeze everything in advance. And, instead of ice in a cooler, she fills an empty soda or juice container with water and pops that in a cooler as an ice pack. “Works like a charm,” she says. You can always pick up fresh items — pastries or fruit — at local markets.

Kelsey and Sam use a food dehydrator and reusable silicone bags to lighten the load on their backpacking and cycling trips. Kelsey adds that people love Borvo instant bone broth, which comes in easy-to-pack compostable sleeves.

Many campers rely on an old-fashioned campfire for cooking meals, being careful to use established fire pits, keep fires small, burn dead wood, and ensure that fires are completely extinguished. Bluedot contributor Justin McChesney-Wachs offers his camp cooking tips, plus three recipes that leave little to no waste — food or otherwise. 

An easier, (less polluting) choice might be a camp stove fueled with renewable energy. BioLite, in Bluedot’s Marketplace, has some great options (and is what Kelsey favors). 

Pack reusable cutlery and dishes or biodegradable options. And when it comes time to wash up, an all-in-one detergent like Dr. Bronner’s Castile soap (buy the refill carton, then portion it into smaller reusable containers for a lighter load) or Campsuds does the job. 

The Sleep

As noted above, a hammock is a great option. But if you’re a cold-weather camper, you’re going to want something cozier.

The campers at Sustainable Jungle offer up a half-dozen options. Mountain Hardware’s sleeping bags (which promise warmth to below 0°F) and its Lamina Eco AF use recycled materials and no dyes. Other down-filled products are Responsible Down Standard-certified, meaning that the manufacturers have taken bird welfare into account. 

Other well-known outdoor gear companies, including North Face, Marmot, and Sierra Designs, have eco-friendly sleeping bags on offer. 

The Garbage

“Leave no trace” is a camper’s mantra, and it means exactly what it sounds like. Once you’re gone, it should be as though you were never there. 

The Miscellaneous

Two other tips and tricks: Pack a portable clothesline, and consider a Diva Cup. (Not just for camping, of course, but especially practical then. As Kelsey says, “Who wants to pack menstrual products in/out?”)