Being on the road, surrounded by nature, is a wonderful feeling! Knowing that you can make a difference to keep that scenery beautiful for future travels is even better!
For a lot of travelers, going green can seem like just one more inconvenience on the road. Let’s face it – once you have packing down to a science, the thought of changing your routine can be scary! But making small changes, one at a time, can help you through the process
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Don’t just dump out your existing products! Think about this one for a second – if you’re going to put it in the garbage, and it’s going to end up in a landfill, you might as well use it up! Besides, you did spend your hard earned money on it! And replacing every cleaning product you have can be costly. Look into places that will take your old cleaners and dispose of them properly, rather than just throwing them away. If you cannot dispose of them properly, use them up – it will be less of a shock to your wallet if you don’t have to replace everything at once. NEVER dump unwanted chemicals in to a sewer or on the ground! Replace each cleaner with a green cleaner as it runs out.
Understand the information on the label! A product’s name my lead you to believe that it is environmentally friendly, when that isn’t the case at all! Terms like “eco” are frequently used in products that are used outdoors. However, look for a tiny statement at the bottom of the label – if it isn’t green, you will most-like find a statement that reads something like: “Eco not intended to imply that this product is environmentally safe or more environmentally safe than any other product.” TRICKY! A quick web search can help you find more detailed information on the products you should be looking for. One resource is: http://www.greenseal.org/findaproduct/hhcleaners.cfm
Don’t forget about the container! Most green products also come in recyclable containers. If possible, hold on to empty containers until you can deposit them in a recycling container rather than a garbage can. Sometimes this can be as simple as asking at the front desk or a campground or the entrance of a park. While the park may not be able to put out recycling containers all over the park, they may keep a few at certain locations. Or, they may be able to direct you to a recycling station nearby that will accept your empty containers.
Look around before you head to the trash can! Before you take your garbage to an approved disposal location, look around and be sure you have collected everything that you can. Remember that garbage bags are waste, too, and you want to use as few of them as possible! Even if it isn’t your mess, picking up litter, offering to toss the garbage of the people picnicking next to you, and removing as much air from the bag as possible before putting it in the disposal area can all help save space in landfills!
