Map credit: TravelChinaGuide.com

According to a recent article in Backpacker Magazine, the popularity of hiking and backpacking is growing in China and that could be good news for the environment. The author reasons that increasing prosperity gives citizens more time to pursue recreational activities which should in turn increase appreciation for nature and the environment. Of course the article starts off with a story about one backpacker who simply tosses his garbage by the trailside as he hikes but it’s still early in the Chinese environmental movement…

The article also makes an interesting point that the environmental movement in the US really got started in the 1960s as hiking became more popular here. But what about the impact of millions of new hikers exploring previously untouched wilderness in China? Isn’t a robust national park system and supportive non-profit network critical to preserving what’s left? Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Either way, in the end I think increased outdoor recreation is a good thing for the environment because it means people place a value on natural beauty. And once a society values something it will want to take care of it. Although much damage has already been done to the environment around the world, the good news is that mother nature is pretty good at healing herself, given time. The sooner folks start respecting nature, the sooner she’ll be able to give back.

I just read a laughable article from the Edmonton Sun titled “Camping Green Is Easy To Do.” Judging by the title you’d think it would be a helpful primer on limiting your environmental impact when camping but instead the main tip is: don’t drive your RV too far - that wastes gasoline. Yep, if that’s the jist of green camping then I suppose it is easy to do… But what about the chemical toilets in RVs - are those eco-friendly?

Fortunately for tent-campers camping green isn’t difficult and there are ways you can decrease your environmental impact. For starters, practice “leave no trace” camping whenever possible - if you’re not sure what that means, read our tips for low impact camping we posted back in October. Leave no trace camping addresses everything from where to place your tent to how you interact with plant and animal life.

At first glance camping may appear to have a tiny carbon footprint but there is always room for improvement. Wood-burning campfires produce about 2.8 pounds of greenhouse gasses for every 1 pound of wood burned (don’t ask me how that works) which is a good endorsement for putting out the campfire during the day at the very least. Campfires also put particulate matter (soot) into the air and anyone who has accidentally inhaled smoke from a fire knows it doesn’t feel good in the lungs. Instead of cooking over a fire, consider using a gas stove which produces fewer emissions (though the production side of “white gas” is a whole other story…).

If you want to be completely carbon neutral in your camp cooking, consider eating raw (I’ll skip this one myself) OR use a solar powered stove to heat your meals. That’s right, solar power is alive and well at the campground and you can read this article to find out how to get started.

If you’re using a portable generator on your camping trip, consider this: the gasoline engines that power portable generators can produce up to 50 times as much CO2 as an automobile running for the same amount of time. Clearly generators aren’t compatible with green camping for both emissions and noise reasons - leave them at home.

Finally, the Edmonton article did get one thing right about green camping: driving to and from the campground can be be the largest greenhouse gas contributor of an entire trip. Carpool with your friends and limit vehicle use once you’re at your destination. Good planning will ensure that you’re not constantly jumping in the car to pick up ice, paper plates, etc. because you forgot them.

If you’re like me you enjoy camping because it’s a chance to connect with natural, wild environments and we can all agree that these places deserve to be protected. Consider how you can green your next camping trip!