Best Sustainable Outdoor Gear For Your Camp Kitchen
Looking to update your gear closet? Check out these eco-friendly alternatives to start switching to sustainable outdoor gear as you upgrade. Small changes make a big difference, and you don’t need to get rid of all your old gear to be a sustainability hero (in fact, if you’re getting rid of your stuff before it’s worn out, you’re actually harming the environment more). So try out these little upgrades to start living more zero-waste when you’re off the grid.
Five Pieces of Sustainable Outdoor Gear For a Zero-Waste Camp Kitchen
Bambu Outdoor Bamboo Utensils
It’s time your camping utensils got an eco-friendly upgrade. The outdoor line of utensils that Bambu makes is an affordable switch that makes a big difference in the long run. Why? Those plastic sporks that you’ve been using typically end up the landfill, where they’ll be long after your adventure days are over. And even if they don’t, they’re made of non-renewable materials that hard the environment (and take even more resources to recycle). Bambu makes all their utensils from sustainably harvested bamboo, most of which is certified organic and certified biobased. This means that it’s made from natural, renewable materials. And that it biodegrades (bye, thousands of years of landfill mess). Bonus: this stuff performs in the outdoors, so you’re not sacrificing. Bamboo is a very strong material, and this stuff is made to last. It’s also lighter than titanium, which is considered the gold-standard when it comes to ultralight backpacking gear.
Check out the Bambu Outdoor Line
Lava Linens Travel Towel
I never thought of towels as an item that could be a piece of sustainable outdoor gear until quite recently. The founders at Lava, a rad group of ladies from Boulder, opened my eyes to what’s what with the environmental impacts of microfiber, which most outdoor towels are made from. Basically, microfiber is made from synthetic materials that “shed” over time. These tiny pieces of microfiber end up in our water sources and are extremely harmful to aquatic life. Lava was founded to create a sustainable alternative to synthetic towels that was built to hold up to weeks on the trail or as the only towel for cooking and cleaning in your camp kitchen. Their towels are sustainably sourced from linen, a natural material that doesn’t shed microfibers or end up in landfills after you’re done (and you probably won’t be done for a while because Lava offers lifetime repairs on their gear). Linen absorbs twice as much water as microfiber towels and is naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial. Sounds like we all should have been doing this a long time ago, huh? I’ve put my towel to the test, cooking and cleaning for weeks in the desert this fall, and it holds up like a champ. Plus, Lava puts their values up front with their Climate Neutral certifications and partnership with One Tree Planted.
Bee’s Wrap Beeswax Food Wraps
Say goodbye to plastic wrap to keep your food together in your pack. Bee’s Wrap makes reusable food wraps that are made from cotton and beeswax. That’s it. You can find them in a bunch of sizes and colors (c’mon, you know you like the cool colors). I use these all the time when I’m packing a sandwich for alpine adventures, and they hold up surprisingly well, even when they’re tossed in next to climbing gear. When you’re camping, use these as an alternative to plastic wrap to keep partially cut veggies fresh. Once you get home, gently wash your Bee’s Wrap and hang to dry before reusing it. It might seem like a small thing, but switching to this sustainable outdoor gear instead of it’s single-use counterparts reduces a ton of waste in the long run.
Taiga Terra Cooler
I stumbled upon the Terra Cooler during a random search about sustainable plastics. These guys are making the first sustainable cooler (that I’m aware of), and it’s pretty sweet. Taiga uses hemp-filled polypropylene, which is an alternative to petroleum based plastics that most coolers are made with. By using bio-plasics, Taiga is working to offer sustainable outdoor gear that still meets the needs of outdoor enthusiasts (we need our food to stay cold when we’re out), and is better for the environment. Plus, these coolers are made in the USA and can be fully personalized (yes, if anyone wants to design a Gritty Gourmet cooler for me, I am accepting gifts).
StasherBag Reusable Bag
You’ll see these in a lot of my recipes, and for good reason. While the StasherBag isn’t perfect (it’s made from silicone, which isn’t recyclable), it’s a much more eco-friendly alternative to the single-use backpacking meal pouches, energy bars, etc. that makes up so much of what’s sold as “outdoor food.” I use these because they can handle the boiling water that I use for my homemade backpacking meals, they’re super packable, and they’re easily (like really easily) cleaned and reused for a looong time. If you’re looking for just one piece of sustainable outdoor gear to make your camp kitchen less wasteful, I’d suggest this. When you’re camping, store ingredients or leftovers in these (they seal super well, so even if ice melts in your cooler, the water won’t leak into your StasherBag. If you’re headed out for a big day, throw your lunch in you Stasher. And if you’re backpacking, stop buying single-use pouches of freeze-dried food and make/ cook your own in this (I’ve got a recipe you’re gonna love).
Don’t need new outdoor gear? Do this instead.
If your gear closet is already stocked, consider dropping a few dollars to a local non-profit that does stewardship and/or environmental work where you recreate most often. Here’s some ideas to get you started: