9 Sustainable Hiking Tips

Sometimes sustainability is criticized for being difficult, or taking too much time. When hiking/camping, we all take the time to make sure we have the right gear, pack it up perfectly in our bags, and take the time to plan our trips. Taking the time to bring your own bottles/cups/bags/snacks is the exact same thing! I encourage you to read these next few tips with the same mindset you would to make sure you were packing the right gear for the hike.

Get Outside + Enjoy Nature!

Sometimes hearing the stats + numbers of climate change can numb people, and a more powerful way to encourage others to live sustainably is to share how much you love the environment. The natural playgrounds we all love so much are at serious risk of severe damage because of the negative impacts of climate change. So first and foremost, enjoy what part of nature you love and use that energy to fuel your actions to #protectwhatyoulove

Refuse Single-Use Water Bottles

Did you know that plastic is made from fossil-fuels, and the entire process from production to waste management of these plastic products is extremely taxing on the environment? Not to mention that 18 billion pounds of plastic waste enters our oceans every year… so do your part and #bringyourown. You’d be surprised to see how many places offer filtered water refill stations. For those of you who are on the germaphobic side, there are water bottles with built-in filters, or charcoal filters you can put in your bottle to ensure the water meets your cleanliness standard. Then keep that baby with you at all times to make sure you never have to use a plastic water bottle again!

Buy Bulk

Have you ever been to a grocery store that has a bulk section? These are GREAT to make your own trail mix. A variety of nuts, dried fruit, seeds, chocolate, and other snacks are sold by the pound (and are MUCH cheaper to buy this way!) You can buy whatever you want to make your trail mix exactly how you want it. Make sure to bring your own produce/bulk bags to the store to avoid those pesky plastic bags, and type the SKU in your phone so you don’t use those plastic tabs. To find a full list of grocery stores that have a bulk section, check out this map on Zero Waste Home.

Bring Your Own Kit

A few other great things to keep on you at all times are a bamboo cutlery kit and fabric tea cloth. Have you ever noticed how much plasticware and paper napkins are used when you order food? This mindless + wasteful situation is so easy to avoid by again, bringing your own! Togo Ware has these awesome little kits that even have a key ring on them, so you can always keep them in your bag! Pair that with a reusable fabric napkin and you’re becoming a sustainability superstar.

Grab Some Stasher Bags

Going hiking typically means packing baggies of trail mix and PB+Js. Ziploc bags became a household item based on convenience back in the 70’s. But we’ve outgrown this lazy habit and the alternative is SO easy! Get yourself some silicone Stasher Bags and reuse them a million times for your hike sandwiches + snacks. You can freeze them, boil them, and they’re extremely easy to wash (even dishwasher safe!)

Get a Reusable Coffee Cup

Whether you’re in a hotel, on the road, or at the airport, to-go coffee cups are EVERYWHERE. They come with a plastic lid, a cardboard sleeve, if it’s iced it comes with a plastic straw, and sometimes with those annoying little plastic sip-stoppers “in case you spill.” Let me tell ya something, those cups are heading STRAIGHT to the landfill once you’re done. And if you’re like me, you’re having 2-3 cups a day! “But Lauren, how about the green compostable cups?” I hate to break it to ya - but the infrastructure for commercial composting isn’t set up to sustain how much we’re throwing away. More often than not, consumers aren’t properly separating their compost from trash, and staff aren’t separating the trash bags once they head to the dumpster. Unfortunately this is a bit of “green washing” so the best solution is to… you guessed it - bring your own! Ding ding ding! I use a Keep Cup and keep it in my backpack with all of my other reusable goodies.

Pack In + Pack Out

Have you ever seen trash while hiking on a trail? When I do I think, “come on man! How could someone so carelessly litter on a mountain so beautiful?!” A rule of thumb I know you’re all already practicing, is “pack in and pack out.” Whatever you bring to the mountain/beach/park, comes home with you. And if you see trash - pick it up! Wildlife can confuse those shiny wrappers and bright colored bits of plastic as food, and it’s never coming out of their bellies. Remember, we’re in their home!

Plug In + Volunteer

There are endless opportunities for you to plug in and volunteer with an environmental organization in your community! I recently watched the documentary, “No Impact Man,” and at the very end the main protagonist said, “People ask me all the time, ‘what’s one thing I can do to be more sustainable?’ and my answer is to join an environmental organization. Not only does it create community, but it creates accountability. The way we got to this throw-away culture is because we don’t have any accountability anymore.” There are SO many non-profit organizations who are active and would LOVE your help to make a difference in your community. If you’re near the coast, the Surfrider Foundation is an incredibly strong and united community of change makers. Patagonia has a RAD program called “Patagonia Action Works” where you can find NGO’s to get plugged in with just by typing in your zip code.

Share with Friends

Now that you’re an intentional nature enthusiast, who brings their own products, and is active in their community, it’s time to share the love! Our individual actions can make significant lasting impact when we share what we’re up to with those around us. Strike up a conversation with your coworker/friend/relative and let them know what choices you’ve made in your life to be more sustainable, and encourage them to do the same! Together we can cause a tidal wave of change, and protect the land and waters that we all love so much.