According to an estimate, about 70 billion pounds of food is
wasted in US every year. While there is no specific study to suggest the amount
of food wasted during camping, it is the fact that vast amounts of foods are
wasted during camping trips. This wastage of foods is detrimental not only for
the personal budgets but also for the environment.
Facts about food waste and refuse
- Large amount of rotting food in landfill is a significant source of methane which turns out to be a pollutant.
- Food items turn into a large amount of backcountry trash and litter.
- Food that is discarded and buried into the land becomes an attraction for the wildlife. The problem with this process is that the food that is meant to be eaten by human becomes primary food of animals, affected the animals’ feeding cycles and habits. It is not good for the ecosystem.
- Food related refuse can be harmful for the natural beauty because it affects the land for many years.
Reducing camping food waste and refuse
- The idea of camping is pretty exciting. Many people stop thinking realistically when it comes to deciding for the camping foods. Some people are fascinated by the idea of cooking gourmet meals over the campfire but this cooking takes huge amount of time and money. Imagine you have to throw a piece of steak which you have purchased but you do not have the arrangement to cook it in the first night. That steak is going to be wasted for sure.
- It is very important to plan the meals very carefully. If you have perishable foods, eat them in the first couple of days. Save nonperishable foods for the last days.
- You may have a bulk of foods in the tent but you cannot take it everywhere during this trip. So, it is very important to pack small packets of snacks to meet your nutritional needs when you are far away from your tent.
- Another option that you can consider is the consumption of frozen foods. The frozen dried meals can be taken anywhere you want. You can also have them in your emergency food storage. Their ability to remain usable for more than 7 years makes those foods an ideal storage option.
