Conservation Camping
Camping can help teach the importance of conservation, conserving carbon!
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a new trend - COVID Camping. RV sales and rentals are booming, as Americans look for safe ways to get away during the epidemic and maintain social isolation. Forty-six million Americans plan to take an RV trip this summer. Even Trump plans to ditch Airforce One for an RV trip to New York. But is camping better for the environment? Let's explore the differences between tent and trailer, the statistics on consumption reduction, and how you can reduce your camping footprint.
Besides the style, there is a difference between a tent, trailer, and RV. Each method of camping and travel has a different impact on the environment. In a tent, we are most aware of our surroundings and our consumption. We can't turn on a tap or use electricity. We only use ~5 gallons of water a day camping in a tent. But trailers and RVs still use significantly fewer resources compared to your home. In either of these vehicles, you have a limited amount of supplies. You can only fill your tanks so full, and your electricity is scarce. But how much carbon do you save?
Typically, when you hear someone say, "I travel in a vehicle that gets 10 miles per gallon," you may question their environmentalism. However, traveling in an RV uses only half the CO2 as a plane going the same distance. Once your vehicle is parked, conservation starts to kick in. The average American family uses 300 gallons of water a day. Considering an RV tank carries only 100 gallons of water for several day trips, we are more aware of water usage when taking showers, washing dishes, and flushing the toilet. Under this estimate, that same family could cut their water usage to 1/6 per day over a weekend trip. RV and travel trailer manufacturers are also making use of green textiles, renewable woods, LEDs, and eco-friendly sealants and components to cope with these limited rations. Furthermore, these vehicles can use solar panels, and even RV wind turbines, to generate electricity, eliminating the need to plug into our electrical grid. With these additional tips, you can ensure an eco-friendly camp:
Travel with more people to spread the footprint across many
Upgrade your camper with solar panels for renewable energy
Park your vehicle with nature to conserve (i.e., in the shade)
Reduce the vehicle's weight by emptying black-water before traveling
Keep an eye on your water/electricity usage.
Instead of destroying the environment, camping can help preserve it. Besides, it can help you build connections to your surroundings, people, and self over that weekend get-away. So jump onto the trend of COVID Camping this summer! It's much better than flying.
