Keeping It Green In The Great Outdoors

Father’s Day is coming up this weekend and that could be a great reason to get outside! But honestly no one really needs an excuse to hit the trails, the beach or a campsite, especially when it’s warm out. Fresh air, exercise, and time spent in nature is always a winning combination, and a little planning can help make sure your next excursion is the best and greenest yet.

It’s important to remember the basics, of course, like don’t take anything away or leave anything behind—leave the plants and rocks where you found them, and take all your garbage home with you. While it may not be possible to leave no trace at all, you can go a long way towards minimizing your impact. It’s important to have water, whether you’re at the beach for a few hours or in the woods for a few days, but your water doesn’t have to come with you in a disposable plastic bottle. There are tons of really cool, reusable water bottles on the market that are made without toxic chemicals or plastics. And speaking of chemicals, don’t forget that you can always find natural sunscreens and bug sprays that will be far gentler on you and all the living things around you than the industrially produced versions. We even have a video on how to whip up a batch of your own All-Natural Bug Spray here on our YouTube channel! Fresh air and exercise always boosts the appetite. There are of course many reusable, responsibly produced containers for bringing along large portions and meal-making basics, and beeswax food wraps are an excellent, lightweight reusable option for packing smaller snacks to carry with you. And as a final, low-impact note: wildlife is amazing and the temptation to get a good photo is understandable, but make sure not to stress out animals by trying to get closer to them, and they, in turn, will be far less likely to mess with you!

We hope you have a wonderful green summer on the West Coast!