By Jordyn Cormier August 17, 2016

Ah, outside in the Great Outdoors at last! You’re at the height of summertime camping season and all you can see is a soothing canopy of leafy green. Everything is clean and fresh and natural. Then, you get to your campsite and see litter strewn in the fire pit. Aluminum foil balls, beer cans, used toilet paper. Ew.

Even though you are surrounded by green doesn’t mean camping is an intrinsically ‘green’ activity. In fact, if practiced carelessly, camping can be environmentally obtrusive, and many people simply have no idea how careless they are being. Not to worry, camping is as eco-friendly as you make it. Here are a handful of suggestions to encourage you and your friends to green up your camping game:

Buy used gear when possible.

The manufacturing of outdoor gear can produce a huge carbon footprint. The best choice, if you are setting up your kit, is to opt for gently used gear. REI offers members-only sales on gently used gear once or twice a year, and many gear co-ops offer used gear swaps across the country. That being said, if you are more than a weekend warrior, buying one new piece of gear that will last for the next 10 years or more is a good option as well (like good hiking boots—do not underestimate their importance!). The most important thing is to use quality gear that will last for a good, long time, rather than the cheaper, more disposable items that you can easily find nowadays.

Use rechargeable batteries.

While you should limit the amount of technology you bring to your camp (for the sake of unplugging yourself after weeks of scouring the planet in search of Pokémon), some technology does provide a sense of comfort and safety out in the wilderness. Purchasing rechargeable batteries for your lanterns and whatnot can make living at camp significantly less wasteful for many trips to come. It saves a lot of batteries from the landfills and saves you a bit of cash. If you’re on an extended trip, invest in a solar charger to make sure you stay prepared.

Only use castille soap.

Most soaps are not environmentally friendly. That means when you wash yourself or your dishes in a nearby stream, you are polluting the same pristine water that you have traveled such great distances to enjoy. One soap that is actually safe to use at camp is castille soap, like Dr. Bronner’s. It is biodegradable and multifunctional, making it a terrific option for your camp kit. But, even though you have eco-friendly soap, make sure you use it in moderation. Soap isn’t a natural part of the environment, after all. Sometimes a little sand and water is all you need to scrub the gunk off your plate—you are in the wilderness.

Pack water in bulk.

Don’t buy a 24 pack of plastic water bottles. Invest in a quality, reusable BPA free jug and fill it. Then, replenish your reusable canteens as needed. This saves a lot of disposable plastic from making its way into the environment. And, if you find a lightweight yet durable way of storing 7 gallons of water to haul to a campsite than a big plastic jug, let us know! The less plastic you can buy, the better.

Ditch paper, aluminum, and plastic ware.

Get reusable, lightweight utensils and bowls for your camp kit. Bringing paper plates, plastic cups, and plastic cutlery is simply wasteful and unnecessary when reusable options are often just as lightweight. Aluminum foil is especially wasteful and highly unnecessary when camping. There are so many other ways to cook food over the fire, it just takes some creativity and know-how. Bring a cast iron pan for old school campfire cooking, or try wrapping foods in wet matter like corn husks or seaweed and letting them steam in the coals. Both options are way more badass than just wrapping a potato in aluminum. Use your imagination and keep camp cooking waste-free!

Pack out your trash.

Pack it in, pack it out. We want to keep our wild places wild, so don’t leave your trash strewn around when you leave. Also, don’t burn it. Burning trash may put it out of sight and out of your mind, but the trash simply seeps into the atmosphere (you know, the one we kind of need in order to breathe). If you have some bean or beer cans, or maybe plastic wrapping, pack them all in a baggie and recycle them when you get out of the wilderness.

Oh, and if there is no pit toilet, be prepared when nature calls. Dig a cat hole around 6 inches deep for solid waste, making sure it’s far away from your camp, streams, and trails. If digging isn’t an option, yes, you’re going to have to pack it out. Think I am joking? I had a bout of, er, ‘bowel distress’ in the desert a month ago. Digging a cat hole was against local regulations and also impossible due to the incredibly hard earth. Did I leave it? No! I packed it out. It was horrible, truly. But how would you feel coming across someone’s loose excrements at the edge of your campsite? Yeah, that’d be pretty gross. So, just suck it up and be prepared to pack it out if necessary.

Study and practice Leave No Trace principles when spending any time in the Great Outdoors. Making as little of an impact as possible on the wilderness is the greenest thing you can do while camping. Camping is about mutual respect. Cherish and protect the wilderness by greening up your camp, and it will reward you with pristine beauty for years to come.