Green Gear Roundup: Eco-friendly Equipment
It’s the little things in life, and car camping, that can make all the difference when you’re saving the planet. Using environmentally-conscious outdoor gear is a great way for travelers to enjoy the wonders of the wild while also preserving it for future explorers. Here are some of Luno's favorite green gear for eco-friendly travel!
Bee’s Wraps Beeswax Wraps
It’s no secret that single-use plastic is getting the boot. Bag fines and straw bans are just the beginning of the end for environmentally-harmful plastics. Word on the street is that plastic wrap is the next offender on the up and out.
A reported 5.3 million Americans used 10 or more rolls of plastic wrap in 2018. Beeswax wraps are an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic wraps and bags. These reusable wraps use the warmth of your hands to create an air-tight seal around food and containers. They have key antibacterial properties that make them a safe and sanitary food storage option to store dishes, cheese, produce, and baked goods. Clean up is also quick and easy! Just wash the wraps with soap and water to reuse them for up to a year.
Every wrap is reusable, biodegradable, and compostable for a completely green life cycle from creation to disposal. Bee's Wrap is made of GOTS-certified organic cotton, sustainably sourced beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin. All of the wax used for the wraps are sourced only from sustainably-managed hives. Plus, all packaging is recyclable and plastic-free!
Dr. Bronner’s Biodegradable Soap and Toothpaste
The outdoors serves as both a kitchen and bathroom when we’re roughin’ it. Unfortunately, many of the products used for household hygiene are not great for nature. Dumping your suds bucket after washing your dishes or a spit take of toothpaste after brushing your teeth can have negative environmental impacts. Luckily, Dr. Bronner is here to save the day!
Doc makes an 18-in-1 organic liquid soap that can be used as toothpaste, shampoo, dish soap, and laundry detergent (just to name a few). Additionally, all soaps are certified vegan, cruelty-free, entirely organic, and biodegradable. Beware that a few drops go a long way. The soap mixture is incredibly potent; it cleans everything and cleans it well.
Dr. Bronner’s is the best in the biz when it comes to environmental production. They don’t just talk the talk. This eco-conscious company focuses on sustainability throughout every step of manufacturing. For over a decade, bottles for packaging are made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) polyethylene (PET) to reduce D. Bronner’s ecological footprint.
Third Eye Headlamps
Third Eye headlamps are a slam dunk in the green gear game. Third Eye was founded by a passionate outdoorsman whose lifelong obsession with the wonders of nature-inspired a dedication to preserving it. Third Eye’s headlamps blast a powerful beam of 168 lumens of light up to 360 feet away with multiple light modes and settings. Every headlamp is RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) compliant, uses BPA-free plastic, and made with 100% recycled, non-toxic materials. To top it all off, these bad boys boast an IPX6 waterproof rating and are backed by a lifetime warranty.
These flashy headlamps are more than just sustainable...they’re also fashionable! Headbands, which are also sold separately for an affordable $12 each, come in more than a dozen different colors and designs so you can stay stuntin’ in the wild.
Big Agnes Encampment 15 Sleeping Bag
Animal rights activists have long criticized the ethicality of down insulation in jackets and sleeping bags. Startling past investigations have revealed that high-quality down has been plucked from live birds in inhumane conditions. Big Agnes aims to end unethical plucking practices by stuffing their bags with 100% recycled synthetic insulation. This synthetic insulation boasts all the benefits of down stuffing without any of the animal cruelty.
Most sleeping bag insulation is compromised when it is compressed under the body. Big Agnes bags feature a fully integrated sleeve that secures a sleeping pad in place throughout the night. This innovative design eliminates useless down stuffing but maintains insulation with a far more comfortable sleeping pad or camping air mattress.
LuminAID PackLite Max 2-in-1 Phone Charger
Outlets are few and far between when you’re trees-deep in the woods. The LuminAID PackLite harnesses the power of the sun so you can power up without the plug. These compact bad boys can run up to 100 hours on a single charge and shine up to 300 lumens. The PackLite also doubles as a portable charger with a USB port for you to charge devices using some good old solar power.
The 100% water and dustproof PackLite can charge in overcast conditions so nothing can rain on your parade. These lanterns are ideal for backpacking since they are super space-efficient for packing purposes; just toss them into your duffle after deflating to brighten up your next trip.
Bambu Bamboo Cutlery
More than 700 million plastic utensils are used every week in the United States. That’s a lot of single-use plastic. Thankfully bamboo sporks are here to save the day! Similarly to a spork, bamboo offers the best of both worlds. The rapid growth rate of bamboo makes it an ideal candidate for large-scale production while the durability of the wood makes for exceptionally sturdy sporks. This win-win means bamboo trees are an all-around solid resource for environmentally-friendly cutlery.
Luckily for the planet, bamboo trees absorb carbon dioxide and release over 30% more oxygen into the atmosphere compared to an equivalent mass of trees. Bamboo can also be grown without chemicals so most cutlery is naturally biodegradable. These sporks are lightweight and great for backpacking but they do not have to be used exclusively when traveling. You never know when a spork will save the day!
Enjoy the beauty of nature while doing your part to preserve it. Using environmentally-conscious gear is an easy sustainability practice for explorers. If you need us, we’ll just be saving the planet one spork at a time.
