sustainable summer tips

Leave No Trace: The Kind Way to Travel This Summer

Tips and Tricks

Leave No Trace: The Kind Way to Travel This Summer

Summer is here! Whether you’re headed to the mountain for a solo backpacking trip, driving off to the beach for a day of sun and sand with the kids, or embracing #vanlife and hitting the open road – it’s critical to travel as safely and sustainably as you can! Summertime is, for many folks, a season of travel (and an opportune time for embracing the great outdoors) but doing so responsibly and respectfully is really important. Outdoor adventures that come at the expense of Mother Nature are a big “no-no.” 

If you’re ever in doubt about the right thing to do, pause, and think about your actions. Ask yourself: Are my actions going to adversely impact the environment, or the wildlife living here? Because at the root, “Leave No Trace” is about taking actions to help protect our beautiful planet for future generations to enjoy! To that end, here are some basic principles to live by as you enjoy sun, sand, mountains, and fresh air this summer! 

Plan, plan, plan ahead! It’s wise – and just plain common sense – to familiarize yourself with the area you’ll be traveling through before you head out! Who maintains and regulates the area? What are the current travel restrictions and recommendations? Are there current fire restrictions or limited access to certain areas? What flora, fauna and wildlife can be found there and how can you help protect them? Whether you are visiting your local tidepools for the day or camping in a redwood forest, the first step is to do your research! 

Leave it where you found it. This is an easy one to follow, but an easy one to forget! Bringing home a branch, shell, flower or rock, as a souvenir may be tempting and seem harmless, but these actions, when repeated by hundreds – or thousands of individual visitors – can be immensely disruptive to natural ecosystems. Admire, sketch, take pictures if you’d like, but leave things how you found them. 

Pick your surfaces wisely. This is an important one for campers and beach-goers, especially. Entire communities of microorganisms can be disrupted, or worse – destroyed – when cars or people set up camp on top of them. If you’re planning to stay awhile, pick a surface like rock, harder dirt, sand or gravel instead of softer, wet soil or living plants so you minimize damage and displacement. Another thing to keep in mind? Stay at least 200 feet away from water sources (if possible) to keep your greywater and waste from contaminating freshwater or oceans! Check out this Soul and Sun Kit – complete with a sustainable beach towel, sunscreen that’s gentle on your face (and the environment) silicone bag to keep everything clean and dry, a collapsable, reusable water bottle and free surf wax for all your wave-riders out there!

HelpBe responsible with those fires! We’re looking at you especially, California folks! Obey fire bans if they are in effect, and ALWAYS utilize a designated fire pit or ring, if provided. It’s also really important to keep trash out of fire pits (for obvious reasons) and to only purchase local firewood.

Pack it in, pack it out! This rule applies to all outdoor activities, and it’s amazing how often people don’t remember to follow it! When something comes with you (food scraps, wrappers, containers, etc) it should ALWAYS leave with you. Even though things like banana peels, nutshells, or apple cores are biodegradable, they can harm wildlife if they consume them and may adversely affect the experience of other folks who use the area after you! The goal here? Leave it better than you found it! Keep this Magware BYO Cutlery set and some Stasher bags on hand for eco-friendly food storage and responsible, plastic-free meals on the go.

Be kind to local wildlife. Remember, you’re a visitor! If you encounter local wildlife on your outdoor adventures, be quiet, respectful and give them space. Please, never feed wild animals – observe from afar. We love these Nocs Provisions Waterproof Binoculars so you can observe wildlife without causing harm, or getting too close!

These are, of course, some basic #LNT principles to follow, but they will set you on your way to a summer of wonderful adventure – and minimal impact! Got any other hot tips for safe and sustainable outdoor travels? We’d love to hear your suggestions! 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR LEAVE-NO-TRACE ADVENTURES: 

https://lnt.org/

https://www.nps.gov/articles/leave-no-trace-seven-principles.htm

Leave-No-Trace Essentials

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