RVers know a thing or two about getting back to nature, and whether they know it or not, many RVers are also excellent conservationists! Let’s think about it for just a moment. First of all, there is already a predisposition for most RVers to leave as small of a foot print as possible in regards to where they travel.
For example, did you know that about 95% of American water usage ends up going don the drain? Water for your average RVer is both a valuable resource and can be a liability of sorts. First off, even though you are hooked up to a fresh water source, chances are that much of that water is going to just end up in your grey or black water tanks. This just means that you need to empty them more often. You’ll see RVers not leaving the water running while doing dishes, brushing their teeth, or even when taking showers. The desire to reduce water collected by their sewage system translates into using less water over all.
Did you know that only one in four Americans recycle their plastic water bottles? They don’t decompose, and that means that they are certainly not biodegradable. In fact, all of those cases of fresh water more often than not just end up in landfills. RVers can take a different approach. Space is valuable to an RVer and having even just once case of water lying around the RV is a space waster. That’s while you’ll see many campers and RVers use refillable receptacles. If everyone in the RV has a large bottle of water and just refill that container, well you aren’t just going to save space, you save the environment.
Here’s an interesting fact: two-thirds of Americans cannot see the night sky due to “light pollution” in their respective areas. RVers tend to turn off their lights more when not in use. Even if they have a constant energy source, often times the lights go off when they don’t need them. This might be because RVers may be more accustomed to saving propane being used by their generators when an AC current isn’t available. Trust me, propane can get expensive and you’ll want to save on refills. By turning off excessive light usage, you’ll not only save propane, but it sure will make viewing that night sky much easier.
Trash can be an issue for everyone, not just RVers. When you go to the store you can actually cut down on the amount of garbage that is being sent to the landfills by buying some foods in bulk. Cereal for example. Why do you need a box when the product also comes in a bag? I know it’s for shipping purposes, but that last time I checked, crushed cereal tastes the same as uncrushed cereal. You know what? Buying rice, pasta, cereal, crackers, and other snacks in bulk bins will also save you cash!
You probably do this at home, and you should do it while you are camping too. That is, provide separate waste containers in your RV for garbage and recyclables. Most, if not all campgrounds, have recycling bins. All you have to do is ask where they are. If for some reason your park or campground doesn’t have a recycling bin, simply suggest that that look into adding one. It’s not hard for our parks and campgrounds to get in on the act of helping out the environment. Especially their environment.
If you have any other suggestions, tips or hints about how to go green while you go RVing, leave them in the comments section below. Also check out PPL Motorhomes online for a multitude of Green RVing products.
How do you stay green in your RV?