Go Green with Eco-Friendly Camping Gear

A natural part of appreciating the outdoors is respecting the health of our world. While camping gets us back to our ancestral roots of living out in the open, we can go a step further by choosing camping gear that has a lower carbon footprint. When we camp as sustainably as possible, we are, in a sense, giving back to Mother Nature.

From sunscreen to eco-friendly materials to reusable tools, we’ve gathered a list of sustainable camping gear to make your trip as green as the woods around you.

PVC-Free Tents

This is perhaps the single most crucial item to remember when tent camping. Many tents are made from PVC, known as polyvinyl chloride, which is a commonly used synthetic polymer of plastic. Additionally, tents are often made with non-sustainable flame retardants. Instead, look for tents made from PVC-free material, particularly those that have waterproof fabric. Thankfully, you’ll find many tents made from mostly recycled materials, which does help with your quest for sustainability.

Sustainable Sleeping

Keep up the eco-friendly vibe by purchasing an equally friendly cozy sleeping bag! Much like tents, traditional sleeping bags consists of not-so-eco-friendly materials. (psst…we see you, down feathers). So you’ll want to search for bags that consist of recycled or repurposed materials, and these days it shouldn’t be too hard to find. Polyester is a popular recycled material for sleeping bags, and they’re comfy, to boot!

Non-Soluble Sunscreen

Having a good sunscreen is essential if you spend any time at all in the outdoors and it’s a required staple of camping. Traditional sunscreen is loaded with chemicals that when it gets into the water, can be quite harmful to the natural ecosystem. Get in the habit of scanning the label to make sure your sunscreen is NOT water-soluble, as the soluble kind can pollute water. Likewise for common chemicals such as oxybenzone and octinoxate – both found in many types of sunscreens. And do we even need to mention that sunscreen tends to come in plastic containers? Difficult to recycle.

In short, look for sunscreen that comes in biodegradable bottles, and opt for cream-based sunscreens over the spray kind.

Bug Spray the Eco-Friendly Way

Another must-have for ANY camping trip is bug spray! Those little critters rule the world, like it or not, and we need to be protected against their blood sucking ways. Might as well go eco-friendly with it! But fear not, just because the bug spray is friendly on the planet does not mean it’s friendly to the bugs. Look for sprays that come in biodegradable bottles and are DEET-free. Look for natural repellents such as citronella, mineral oil, and baking soda. There are lots of options in the marketplace.

Camping Chairs

Instead of sitting on a log, why not sit on something more comfortable that is also good for the environment? When choosing good camping furniture, steer clear of synthetic materials such as plastic or toxic chemical coatings. There are lots of alternatives out there made with recycled materials such as cotton and bamboo. They are sturdy, as well. You may pay a bit more for these, but they are high-quality and will last a lifetime.

Friendly Kitchenware

One of the easiest ways to go green! Ditch those paper plates, red plastic or Styrofoam cups. Those are single-use items and not eco-friendly…at all. There are so many cool camping utensil sets in a rainbow of colors and prints, and it’s easy enough to find a set that is also made of recycled materials. Not only does this drastically reduce your trash, they’re easy to pack, as well.

Biodegradable Soap