How to reduce your waste on trail

I’m sure that many of us have had the experience, while still glowing from a glorious backpacking or hiking trip, of being confronted with a pile of waste. 

I spent last summer working on WTA’s Lost Trails Found crew, and after trips I often found myself clearing out my pack and wondering, “How could this be better? How can I create less waste on trail?”  

Doing trail work has given me many opportunities to practice reducing waste. I’ve found that an added benefit is that my food has been healthy and delicious while saving me money! Here are my top tips and tricks.

The big picture

My top tips for reducing waste on trail are: 

• Reuse plastic bags and jars. 
• Buy in bulk.
• Make your own bars, trail mixes and other foods.

Don't forget to reuse plastic containers. Photo by Erika Haugen-Goodman

Reusing plastic packaging

• Save sturdy plastic bags. I like the organic mango bag from Costco and reuse that bag for my dried bean flakes. I reuse granola bags for my oatmeal mixes. If you do this, you won’t be throwing away bags and you won’t have to use Ziploc bags. 
• When you do use Ziplocs, wash them for reuse if they’re in good condition — seriously, it doesn’t take long. 
• When you do need a sandwich or snack bag, use compostable bags. They hold up so well. I use them for my spice bags and they last the whole season.
• For vegetables and fruit, I use and reuse Debbie Meyer produce bags. I grow kale, zucchini and cauliflower in my garden and these bags keep everything fresh for 7-day trips. 
• The Yellowbird hot sauces sold at REI have a no-spill container that’s perfect for sauces and even olive oil! Just clean and refill.
• Use Bee’s Wrap reusable wrappers for things like wrapping your cheese while backpacking or a sandwich for a day trip.
• Splurge on products you really like, and save waste where you can. For example, I love the Thai lime & chili cashews from Trader Joe’s, but they come in plastic. So, I’ll save that bag because it’s sturdy, and refill it with a mix of beans and grains for a cold-soaked lunch.
• Reuse your plastic peanut butter jars. (Get a brand without a BPA lining.) Buy a giant jar at Costco to refill or get the freshly ground nut butters.

• Making DIY meals in advance
• If you have a dehydrator, you can make meals ahead of time and place them in reusable plastic containers or reused baggies. This is one of the best ways to reduce your overall waste.
  
  
• Check out more recipes at wta.org/backcountrykitchen

Buy in bulk and make your own

• I make my own snack bars or bags of trail mixes from the bulk section. You can find high-quality ingredients at a co-op. You can also find affordable bulk options at Winco.
• I learned from my crew mate Rhoda to put together nuts, fruits, seeds, coconut, etc. in the same bag as dark chocolate. Let it melt in the sun and, when it cools, you have freshly made clusters.
• Create your own oatmeal mixes from the bulk section, where you can personalize with your favorite dried fruit and nuts.

Planning your meals 

• When you make your own meals for the trail, you will need to buy things in plastic such as grains, dried potatoes and local cured meats. But you’ll still be producing much less waste than a prepackaged backpacking meal. You’ll also save money, which makes it easier to splurge and get high-quality ingredients. And you’ll have the choice of exactly how much spice and flavorings to put in to create your cuisine of choice. Here are some meal-specific tips for food to consider and how to limit waste for specific meals. 

Snacks/Breakfasts

• Use the tips here for bulk buying to make bars, oatmeal and clusters.
• REI sells containers for eggs. Eggs, quick-cooking grains (obtained in the bulk section and placed into a smaller container) and veggies make for a low-waste savory breakfast.

Lunches

• My crew mates love reusing Talenti gelato containers to cold soak their beans, precooked quinoa, couscous or a homemade dehydrated meal! Add some olive oil, hot sauce and other sauces, and it’s super yummy.
• There’s no way around plastic for tortillas/bread yet, but you can get bread that comes in a paper bag, and transfer to a reused bag.

Dinners

• Carbs: Bob's Red Mill dried potato flakes (bagged), pasta of any kind (bulk or paper container), precooked grains (such as quinoa or couscous) and other meal “sides” often come in paper packaging that can be recycled, composted or burned.
• Fats: Cheese, olive oil, coconut milk powder, coconut milk solids, tahini (bulk), homemade or store-bought tallow.
• Proteins: Dried flaked beans (bulk), local salami or cured meats, eggs, chickpea pasta or other legume products.
• Veggies: Use a produce bag or get dried veggies in bulk.
• Dessert: Dark chocolate usually has a recyclable package. You can also find sweet options in bulk!

Homemade snacks, like this stone age bread, can be both delicious and nutritious. Photo by Shannon Cunningham

More tips for reducing waste

• Switch from using toilet paper or wipes to using a portable bidet. I use the Happy Bottom brand. It’s amazing and I feel super clean. 
• There are several ways to reduce waste associated with dental care. For toothpaste, my crew mate Kyvan uses a refillable toothpaste tube from REI, or you can use toothpaste tabs. I use biodegradable floss that comes in plastic-free packaging. Using a bamboo toothbrush is a great idea. When it’s time to replace it, break off the brush part and compost or burn the wood. 
• I make my own hand sanitizer by combining 1 cup isopropyl alcohol, 1⁄2 tablespoon vegetable glycerin and essential oil. Then I put that in a reused spray hand sanitizer bottle. 

Our earth is our home. It’s not fair to her to be incredibly considerate of wilderness areas while contributing to toxic, inhumane landfills elsewhere. Even though our reliance on plastic is not the consumer’s fault, we can all try to make an effort to reduce our waste in service of our home. You’ll eat great food, save money and have less to throw away!