Eco Tips

One of the best ways to preserve your state parks is to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle. Use these tips while you travel and at home to reduce your dependence on natural resources-you’ll save energy and money. For more great ideas go to our website: www.parkvisitor.com

 

Let the sun provide your power! Solar energy can be harnessed to cook camp meals, make a jug of sun-tea, heat water for a shower or power up your cell phone or laptop. Invest in a solar charger and research solar camping equipment.

 

Repel mosquitoes naturally. Keep these biters away without using toxic pesticides. If you’re using the barbeque, throw a bit of sage or rosemary on the coals to repel mosquitoes (it smells terrific too)! Natural products such as “Repel Lemon Eucalyptus Insect Repellent” containing oil of eucalyptus prevent mosquito bites twice as long as soy and citronella based products.

 

Use less energy, get more light. LED (light-emitting-diode) bulbs use 50-80% less energy than incandescent bulbs.  LED bulbs feature a life span of 50,000+ hours versus 8,000 hours for CFL (compact fluorescent light) bulbs and 1,500 hours for an incandescent light bulb. An LED flashlight, lantern or headlamp can run 100+ hours on one set of batteries making them ideal for camping or in an emergency kit at home.

Be battery wise. Each year, Americans throw out almost 180,000 tons of batteries. Use rechargeable batteries, such as lithium or NiCad. All batteries should be recycled not thrown in the trash.  To get a home recycling kit go to www.batteryrecycling.com or contact your local city or county website for recycling locations close to home.

  

Create an organic ant barrier. Form a natural line of defense against pesky ants using cucumber slices, cayenne pepper, citrus oil (soaked into a piece of string), lemon juice, cinnamon or cloves to create an ant-proof barrier. Or, spray the ants with a bit of soapy water, to safely keep them at bay.

  

Conserve fuel while having more fun. When traveling to state parks, carpool with friends and family. Explore on foot instead of by car-you’ll have more fun, save money on fuel, burn some calories, and connect with nature in a new way.

 

Save some trees with these easy ideas. 1.5 acres per second are lost to deforestation and development. Replace paper towels/napkins with cloth. Choose recycled paper. (Note: this Welcome Kit is printed on recycled paper.) Use a camp stove instead of building a fire.

 

Green your gear. Jacket fillings, fleece, backpack and tent fabrics are made from fossil-fuel byproducts that take 500+ years to break down. Choose instead: bamboo fabrics, hemp, recycled plastic fleece, recycled rubber-soled boots, and organic cotton.

 

Be water wise. The average American uses 80 gallons of water a day. Reuse towels, take shorter showers, and never leave faucets running. Limit landscape watering.

 

Mow less. Americans use 40 million lawn mowers to tame our lawns. Each spews 11 cars’ worth of pollutants per hour.

 

Reduce trash by thinking ahead. When ordering food, avoid taking any unnecessary plastic utensils, straws, etc. Look for products with minimal packaging. Buy ice cream in a cone instead of a cup.

 

Simplify your life. Only keep belongings that you use/enjoy on a regular basis. Donate, sell, or recycle the rest. By reducing what you own, you’ll create less waste in the future.

 

Shop smart and BYOB…bring your own bag! Almost a trillion plastic shopping bags are used worldwide every year, with millions ending up as litter. Skip the shopping bag, or for larger purchases, bring a reusable tote.

 

On the go? Bring a mug-to-go. Carry a travel mug with you for take-out beverages.  Help reduce the waste of 16 billion disposable non-recyclable coffee cups that Americans use each year.

 

Every can counts. Recycling just one aluminum can saves enough energy to make 20 more cans. When traveling, if no recycle bins are available, pack your recyclables home with you.

 

Take a moment to unplug. Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances; unplug cell phone chargers and other cords when not in use-cords left plugged in draw power and waste energy.

  

Be an  eco-smart traveler.  Reduce your carbon footprint when you travel. Take public transport. Rent a hybrid. Or, if you must fly, buy carbon credits to offset your impact.

 

For More Cool Tips and State Park Fun:

www.parkvisitor.com