For those who are of the opinion that nature is the best place to be during those hot summer months, camping is their own personal slice of heaven. That is all fine and good but there are some pretty important tips for camping that should not been neglected, some of the most vital ones include cleaning up after yourself before you head home.

True vacationers should keep in mind that if we don’t tidy and take of everything before we leave the campground, it will soon be no longer good for that oh so special family trip. Camping safety is as important as anything else in life, so be sure to go prepared.

Here are some essential tips to clean up after your family trip to the woods:

• Recycle, recycle, recycle

Recycling is something that each and every one of us should be doing day to day. Whether it’s putting out your blue box (blue in Canada anyway) filled with your empty milk cartons, plastic containers, pop or beer bottles and newspapers, it’s a definite must when it comes to protecting the environment. If you are staying in a campground that doesn’t have recycling facilities or you plan to just pitch a tend in the middle of a forest, bring your empty recyclables with you to put out when you get home.

• Use biodegradable camp soaps

Chances are good that if you are going away for more than a night you will want to bathe and wash some of your pots and dishes. In this case, be sure that you choose biodegradable soaps and cleansers that will not harm the wilderness and the animals that call it home. Bathing in lakes and streams is something all people should experience, just make it an experience that is harmless to everyone and everything.

• Don’t leave any food on the ground

Leave no food behind. Or out in the open while you are there either for that matter. Many people, when camping in areas with bears and other wild animals who like to forage any food hoist the foodstuffs up into the trees. There is more than one reason for this.

1) Hungry animals will come calling and someone could get injured

2) People food is not healthy for animals and you don’t want to make any wildlife sick.

If they get fed once they will come back again and again, and when you have gone home and some other unsuspecting campers come by they could find themselves in a world of trouble with animals like bears, coyotes and even cougars.

• Leave no trace

Leave your campsite as clean, undisturbed and pristine as when you got there. Pick up everything you brought, even little food scraps that many tend to leave behind. Take everything!

• Proper campfire etiquette

MAKE SURE your campfire has been put out the right way. Just because it looks like it’s out doesn’t mean it is. Fire can live underground and pop out when least expected and start a forest fire. Oh, that reminds me, don’t smoke when camping unless you use a bowl or cup of water as an ashtray. Millions of fires have been caused by cigarettes.

Live your Passion – Altrec Outdoors

I’m not a camper personally, I like the outdoors but I prefer to see it from behind a big wall of glass in a cozy air conditioned compartment AKA a hotel room, BUT I know that millions upon millions of families all over the world are ga ga for camping.

It is for you silly ducks who are brave enough to fight off cougars and bears and bugs the size of my head that I write this post. I’m here to help you keep your camping experience fun while also keeping it as green and nature friendly as possible.

Here are some great green camping tips you can use to protect the environment while you enjoy it to the fullest:

1. Buy used camping supplies
If you are only starting to get into the true spirit of staying outdoors, you will no doubt be tempted to pick up the essentials to take along with you, like sleeping bags, camping stoves, lamps, tents and so forth and so on. Well, why buy new when there is plenty of used camping gear for you to buy cheap? It’s the ultimate in recycling.

2. Choose a previously established campsite
This is something I would never have thought of but it’s a fantastic tip. Assuming you are not going to stay at one of the main campgrounds, where you pay for space, choose a spot where others have spent the night. By picking your spot this way you will disturb less wildlife. Don’t go into the forest and start tearing up the ground and disturbing plants, keep the damage to nature down and try your best to leave the forest or lakeside camping spot exactly the way you found it.

3. Use rechargeable lamps or those with hand cranks

Flashlights and lamps are a vital part of your camping experience. You don’t want to start losing your people as the night wears on. It’s easy to get lost when it’s pitch black out and chances are you’re gonna have to pee sometime. Use lamps that take rechargeable batteries or those flashlights where you crank or shake them to power them. Solar lamps are another great eco friendly camping option as well.

4. Don’t force a trail
When you are out there soaking up nature hiking, stay on established trails, it disturbs less wildlife and keeps nature balanced the way it needs to.

5. Choose Environmentally Friendly ways to keep bugs at bay

Lots of bug sprays and creams are pretty toxic to you and the environment, so this green camping tip is important. Use natural bug deterrents like citronella candles and patches.

These important camping tips will help you enjoy your vacation in nature without wreaking havoc at the same time. Yay!