Every time there is a long weekend coming up and my colleagues ask me what I am going to do, they already know the answer: we are going camping. 🙂 It has been our favourite past-time since we moved to Australia.
We are well equipped, are tent based and pretty much self-sufficient, so we usually set up camp in national parks. The more remote, the better.
When traveling we want to be as sustainable and single-use plastic free as we can.

This starts with good preparation. We barely eat meat and if we do, we buy at our local butcher who can tell us exactly where the meat is coming from. We don’t buy any plastic and foam tray wrapped meat at all. Our veggies and fruit come from the local markets or Harris Farm, and anything else we either buy at the local food coop by bringing our own containers, or if there is no other alternative at the supermarket. Some of them now offer certain items like chips, nuts and muesli in bulk as well.
You cannot always avoid plastic, so don’t beat yourself up on it. As long as you try and improve each time, that is fabulous!

Being prepared when going camping is key:

– Water: we have plastic containers we re-use and re-fill each time we go camping. We differentiate between drinking and other water we use to wash the dishes or take a shower. It is amazing how little water one uses if it is sparse and needs to last for several days. You can easily do the dishes with less than one liter of water compared to the 7 or more you would be using at home. Refill your canisters with fresh water at petrol stations or tourist informations rather than buying fresh water. It will also save you a lot of money.

– Food: Plan for the time you are going away and buy accordingly.

You can always stock up at local supermarkets and markets, but make sure you have the essentials with you: oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, flour, eggs, bread, milk, coffee, tea, sugar and cheese plus some veggies and fruit. Have snack food ready. You will automatically eat healthier as well. Win win!
Oh, and bring plenty of containers, so you don’t need to use cling wrap to pack away leftovers. This will also make it easier to find the things you are looking for in your esky.

My recommendations for a fun camping experience:
– Be conscious of the resources you have
– Never leave a trace
– Reduce and avoid packaging as much as possible and go for alternatives to single-use plastic like containers, glass jars, wax wraps
– Take all your rubbish with you and dispose of it properly. Separate and recycle whenever you can

A few things we haven’t been able to sort out yet when it comes to packaging:
– Ice for the esky: I haven’t found a place yet who sells loose ice. It would be great if we could just bring a bucket and fill it up. Does anyone have any alternative idea on how to avoid those plastic bags?