Camping is a great way to unwind and escape from busy schedules and hectic projects. From fresh air to impeccable weather, nothing helps you relax like spending your time outdoors in nature. Keeping your campsite clean helps make the experience better, and many people underestimate the importance of a clean campsite.
As a whole, a clean campsite helps you to conserve the environment by eliminating contaminants, prevent the spread of waterborne diseases like cholera, protect the ecosystem, and allow others to use the campsite in your absence. However, it’s critical to know the best methods and steps of keeping the campsite clean.
That’s not all, as you need to know the meaning of a clean campsite, the steps you should take to keep the campsite clean, and the benefits of a clean campsite, which you will learn if you read on.
What does it Mean to Have a Clean Campsite?
On average, a clean campsite is free from contaminants such as harmful chemicals and waste products. There is no damage from campfires, unnecessary tracks and trails, damage to local wildlife, and no interfering with the ecosystem.
It also means leaving the campsite in a state that would allow other campers to use it. This means having a proper waste disposal system that doesn’t affect the environment, such as rivers or nearby vegetation. It also means taking precautions when dealing with campfires and using natural methods when starting a fire. Respecting wildlife and keeping your distance from them is also very important in maintaining a healthy campsite.
Why is it Important to have a Clean Campsite?
Keeping a clean campsite is a responsibility for every camper. A clean campsite is not just essential to the environment, but also to campers for many reasons. Some of the key reasons include:
Improved Comfort and Better Camping Experience
The essence of camping is to unplug from the hectic daily life and live off the grid for a while. However, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of comfort since it contributes to the general camping experience. The comfort in question includes better sleeping space and a clean environment that is safe for you and your children.
Avoiding the Spread of Deadly Diseases
The spread of deadly diseases such as cholera and typhoid is common in unclean campsites due to contaminated water. A dirty campsite also attracts insects and bugs that might be carriers of diseases such as dengue fever. It’s also a harbor to harmful bacteria that might be detrimental to your health.
Keeping the Environment Clean
A clean campsite helps to conserve the environment and the wildlife around it. Dumping plastic materials and other waste materials around the campsite might pose a danger to these animals, especially if they eat them. Vegetation damage is another concern, and this happens when campers behave in a disorderly manner. It involves clearing more space than needed for camping, walking aimlessly around the camping site, setting vegetation on fire, and even cutting down trees.
What Should I do to Keep a Clean Campsite?
Keeping a campsite clean is a team effort and requires proper coordination. It requires planning ahead, taking what you need for that camping experience, staying away from products that contain chemicals such as preservatives, organizing your campsite, and leaving the campsite as you found it.
A clean campsite follows a multi-step process that every camper should be aware of, and they include:
Plan Ahead before Setting out Camping
The best way to ensure your camping trip is safe and comfortable is by planning ahead. Other than identifying the people who would be accompanying you through the entire trip, it’s also crucial to have the following information:
- Identify the best spot for camping that is far from the wildlife
- Contact the park to learn about the area and its availability
- Know about the weather condition of the area
Know what to Bring
After formulating the entire camping plan, the next step is identifying what you need to bring with you. For a clean camping experience, make sure you bring the following:
- A clean tent
- Resealable storage bags to avoid garbage littering
- A portable toilet
- Invest in disposable wash bins
- Take natural products
- Trash bags and recycling bags
Although it’s difficult to account for everything you need for camping since everyone has different needs, keeping the supplies organic and environmentally friendly is critical. To avoid running out of supplies or getting stranded in case the supplies get damaged, make sure you pack at least twice of everything you need.
Camp on a Durable Surface
Make sure you set up camp on a durable surface which can withstand foot traffic and trekking without causing much damage to the area. In this case, try finding solid flat ground with minimal vegetation. Also, it would help if you chose an elevated surface that will protect you from flooding water or unwanted visits from wild animals.
Keep your Tent Clean
It requires a bit of work to keep the tent clean, especially during the wet season. In this case, make sure you bring an old tarp you can place under a tent to prevent dirt and other debris from getting into the tent. Also, make sure you bring a simple doormat you can place at the entrance.
Proper Waste Management
After identifying the best camping spot, the next step is learning how to deal with waste products. Waste products are not limited to garbage but also wastewater and human waste. For garbage, it’s best to utilize the ‘pack it in, pack it out’ statement, where you haul out anything you might have brought in with you, such as leftover food, and garbage such as tampons and tissue papers.
If you cannot invest in a portable toilet for human waste, try digging small holes to bury the waste. The holes should be more than three feet deep and more than 50 feet away from any water source, like rivers. Also, make sure you bring a trowel with you to dig these holes.
Wastewater is another common problem when camping. The best way to deal with this problem is to set up a proper washing center. This means you need to bring biodegradable soap since it’s environmentally friendly. Have at least three washing tubs, one to hold water with dish soap and another to rinse the utensils.
Dealing with Campfires
Other than cooking and keeping you warm when camping, campfires are essential for keeping wild animals away. However, it’s critical to exercise caution when dealing with campfires since it’s easy for things to get out of hand. Dangers such as burning the vegetation and charcoal spreading over the campsite are common if campers are not careful.
Make sure you have a designated fireplace and set the wood to burn from the ground. If possible, set up fire rings, and never burn any trash or plastic. Once you’re done camping, make sure to scatter the rocks you used, put out the fire, and, if possible, cover the ashes with soil to prevent them from spreading.
Leave Everything As You Found It
Lastly, it’s critical not to interfere with nature, as this would disrupt the local ecosystem. Keep in mind that people have different preferences when it comes to a campsite, and in case you can’t find one that suits you, avoid customizing any site. Don’t dig trenches or make any permanent structures around the site to suit you, as this would ruin other people’s experience.
Bringing portable furniture will save you from the urge to cut down trees to make one. It will also limit your chances of running into wild animals, which might result in injuries. While it’s okay to make small changes such as trimming bush within a small campsite, make sure that such changes are not permanent and that things would revert once you leave the campsite.
The Benefits of Having a Clean Campsite
Having a great time camping is critical to your general outdoor experience. Even though the campsite environment might appear unkempt from thick bushes and other wildlings, it doesn’t mean you have to add to this mess by littering and leaving the garbage lying around. Keeping the campsite clean has many benefits, and they include:
Fresh air and Safe Environment
Spending time camping indicates how much you desire fresh air and unplugging from your daily life. As such, a clean environment ensures that you get an unlimited supply of fresh air during your camping session. A clean campsite also offers a safe environment, especially if you have children or pets running around.
Reduced Cleaning Workload
A lot of campers make the mistake of postponing the cleaning process to the last day. As much as it might sound like a good idea, they still have to deal with the heavy cleaning workload due to the accumulation of garbage. Cleaning regularly and having a proper way of disposing of the garbage will lighten the cleaning workload and allow you to spend little time doing so on your last day.
Creates a Sense of Accomplishment
Camping is not for the lighthearted, and cleaning after your mess tells more about you. Conquering the wild and leaving everything as you found it creates a sense of accomplishment, which is more than you can say about people who leave behind their mess. Additionally, it makes the entire experience worth reliving, which motivates you to organize another camping trip.
Reducing Contamination
Keep in mind that after you leave the campsite, the vegetation and wild animals still have to deal with the mess you left behind. Contaminating water by dumping your waste in any water source might trigger a chain reaction, which would end up threatening the lives of wild animals relying on this water source. Contaminated water also poses a health risk to future campers, as it’s a safe haven for dangerous bacteria.
In Conclusion
Looking to escape the city buzz? Check out our guide to the best places to camp near NYC for a serene outdoor retreat just a stone’s throw away from the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple.
Even though camping is a great way of spending your time outdoors, keeping the campsite clean is critical. From planning your trip in advance, making a list of the things you’ll need, and choosing a solid camping ground, a lot of details are required to keep the environment safe.
Keeping the campsite clean includes observing personal hygiene such as cleaning the tent, having a proper waste disposal system, disposing of the fire, and leaving everything as you found it. The benefits of a clean campsite include fresh air and a safe environment, reduced cleaning workload, creating a sense of accomplishment after camping, and reducing the chances of contamination.