Tips For Staying Eco-Friendly While Camping

The benefits of the great outdoors cannot be overlooked! Especially if you’re travelling around Australia in a camper trailer.

At Mars Campers, we offer fantastic options for soft floor campers, rear folding trailers and many more options. These are the very best camper options for families looking to travel.

But have you ever wondered how you can go camping while remaining eco-friendly? We have, and we know how!

Camping without harming the environment, using eco-friendly equipment and reusing everything are just some of the great tips we have for the great outdoors.

Many camping products and even food contain chemicals, toxins and synthetic material that’s bad for Mother Nature, you probably wouldn’t even know you’re doing damage.

Fortunately, many companies provide sustainable eco-friendly options in food, equipment, cleaning products and many other resources.

Here is your ultimate guide to a greener, healthier, eco-friendly camping experience that won’t break the bank!

Some people like to think that going on a camping trip or a picnic means packing all the plastic and paper cutlery they have. This couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to staying eco-friendly and economical.

Did you know: most plastic forks and spoons are too small for recycling machines to sort?

Start kicking goals with these eco-friendly habits:

• Bring crockery and cutlery from home — not your Nan’s antiques though!
• Take care of your Tupperware — ditch those ziplock bags and plastic wrap
• Say no to plastic water bottles — invest in stainless steel bottles for cooler water

A lot of these items can be stored in your camper trailer for later use or to keep there permanently, so you never forget.

If space is becoming a problem, collapsible bowls, mugs and all-in-one cutlery sets offer a fantastic option for reusable items that are convenient.

In fact, you’ll find you will have more room with these lifetime utensils than bags of disposable plastic and paper cutlery.

It’s a no-brainer that these 2 essentials are needed for any camping trip:

1. Sleeping
2. Lighting

Sometimes you’ll find yourself travelling with more people than beds in your camper trailer, so having some extra tents means you can bring extra friends along for the ride. Tents and sleeping bags are your two quintessential supplies for any camping adventure. Tents can get pretty deer … sorry, wrong dear … but investing in a quality canvas will save you more in the long run.

Natural fibre tents like cotton are more expensive than synthetic plastic, but they offer better features across the board. Comparing the two sees better breathability, heat retention, waterproofing, UV resistance and durability.

The only place synthetic tents beat natural fibre tents is in weight; synthetic is lighter.

Mars Campers come with canvas so you can rest easy knowing you aren’t being detrimental to your environmental efforts.

When it comes to sleeping bags, it’s the same scenario as tents — go natural!

Synthetic materials like nylon are one of the lightest weight materials used for sleep bags. Lightweight also offers portability and compact design.

However, cotton; like tents, are your best source for heat and comfort. It does provide a bulkier sleeping bag which can be off-putting. The next best solution for that is silk sleeping bags.

Silk provides the lightest and most compact sleeping bag compared to any other natural fibre. Fancy!

Light sources like lanterns and flashlights allow for some of the most spectacular camping experiences late in the evening or at early dawn. They’re also helpful for those pesky late-night loo trips.

While you might be looking for real bunnies with gadgets powered by the Duracell bunny, solar is the way to go for all camping adventures.

Solar provides noiseless and eco-friendly options for light sources that are essential for your camping trip.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re hiking through the bush or travelling along a dirt road in a pop top camper trailer, you’re going to need appropriate clothing.

Shoes are the first point of call because they’re what you’re going to be wearing the most. But don’t worry, hiking shoes aren’t supposed to be fashionable.

And even if you are worried, just take the Instagram pic waist high!

There are numerous eco-friendly camping clothing options out there at your closest camping retail outlet with even more online.

Vegan clothing might sound a little weird, but they’re the most sustainable eco-savvy apparel on the market. If the material for the shoe is synthetic; it’s vegan.

Many businesses are turning to eco-friendly standards for their manufacturing process. Organic cotton and recycled polyester are the two most popular materials for camping gear.

Everything from shoes and shirts to backpacks and beanies can come in eco-friendly options. They’re fantastic when it comes to being environmentally friendly, and these options are sometimes more comfortable and durable than their non-nature friendly cousins.

Now, you don’t need to be Superman to start saving the world when you’re at the supermarket, but every decision you make can make a small difference.

The pre-camping supermarket run the day before is something we’ve all done but don’t think that’s your only option. Farmers markets are the best place to pre-shop before any camping adventure with the family. Even better, you’re more likely to find fresh and local produce on your way to, or where you’re camping.

You’ll get the freshest, healthiest and longest-lasting produce at the farmer’s market. It supports local businesses, and it comes without all the plastic packaging.

Our top tips for pre-camping grocery shopping include:

• Take some reusable shopping bags and load up the boot
• Farmer’s markets are actually cheaper
• Prepare fruit and veg at home to store in Tupperware for the trip ahead
• Root veggies are your friends; they’re hearty, filling and last for ages

Cooking

Cast away your suspicions with cast iron, ceramic and stainless-steel cookware!

Many cooking utensils will leach harmful chemicals when you cook and wash them. Some of the cheaper cookware contains chemicals like PFOA and PTFE, which can harm you and the environment.

Cast iron, ceramic and stainless options are more expensive, but they will last a lifetime; trust us on this one. The other benefit of cast iron, stainless steel and titanium cookware is that they can be placed over coals and open fires. Helloooo campfire deserts!

Ceramic and aluminium cookware will crack and melt; so always check the product details. You don’t need the highest quality for camping, but you do know something that will last and do the job.

Campfires

What camping adventure is complete without a campfire? The kids love it and let’s be honest, there’s a firebug in all of us.

Creating and maintaining a fire can be a little tricky, but once you become a pro, there are a few tips we can give for keeping it as green as possible.

1. Don’t make the fire bigger than you need
2. Don’t take every bit of kindling you find — others might need some as well
3. Don’t burn unnecessary man-made material
4. Light a fire in designated areas and check for warning restrictions
5. Lastly, extinguish your ashes properly!

For a quick guide on extinguishing a campfire properly we recommend:

• Let it burn down to ash as much as possible
• Pour small amounts of water onto extinguish all embers until the firepit is entirely wet and hissing stops (use dry dirt or sand if water isn’t available)
• Using a shovel stir the embers and ash

Staying clean might be one of the hardest challenges of any camping adventure. The kids and maybe the dog, bring mud into the camper trailer, perhaps the kids are collecting rocks in their sleeping bags. The sand from the day will pour out hours after you’ve had a shower. The list goes on and its all part of the fun.

Keeping clean is easy at home, but on the road, that’s a different story. Regular detergent and care products are harmful to the environment. Biodegradable is the way to go.

You can get some fantastic all-in-one soaps and products that wash your hair, body, dish and clothes. You’ll be cleaning yourself, your equipment and Mother Nature won’t have a hissy fit.

Some simpler cleaning remedies like baking soda and lemon are still fantastic alternatives.

And lastly, NEVER wash yourself or your equipment in rivers or lakes. The last thing our waterways need is detergent and chemicals.

Is your family cramped inside the tent or maybe the 4WD is a looking a little worse for wear? A Mars on and off road camper trailer is the perfect replacement for your next camping adventure. Browse of extensive range of camper trailers to suit your family’s needs. We’ve got everything you need a Mars Campers, so contact us now.