Even if you’re not trying to live your whole life zero-waste, camping is a time when it makes sense to be as low waste as possible. You are packing out everything you’re packing in! Make it easier on your backpack, your car, your friends… everyone benefits when you’re not forced to just hang on to trash.

• Download your maps from alltrails.com instead of opting for a paper map. How often do you really look back at a paper map, anyway? A paper map is clutter as soon as a ranger hands it to you.
• Eat smart.
  • Pack food purchased in bulk (with reusable bags!)
  • Prepare staples like beans and rice ahead of time – avoids packaging and trash
• Have a compost bin. Better than a bin is something with a lid – I like to use plastic to-go containers that someone in the group has inevidetly acquired earlier in the week. It will snap closed to avoid any spillage of rotting food while you off-road.
• Dispose of necessary trash properly. My Coleman camper stove requires a can of butane that cannot be thrown away in a regular Dumpster. Be mindful with any waste you’re forced to acquire.
• Bring washable bowls and utensils. It’s obviously less trashy than disposable plates and cutlery. I bring these really large cups from a college bar – work as bowls, stack well, super easy to rinse in campground faucets. (Fellow Tar Heels – Blue Cups work for everything!)