Head to the Mountains in Plastic-Free Style

People are drawn from far and wide to witness the majesty of the southern Appalachians. It's no wonder — within a short drive, we can access Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, and Pisgah National Forest… to name a few of the most spectacular and well-known places to go hiking, camping, or to take in a beautiful view (or maybe 20).

But for many, a day or a weekend in the woods comes with lots of plastic. Bags of trail mix, individually-wrapped granola bars, zip-top bags for food storage, and disposable plates, silverware and cups. While we admire the natural beauty around us, we are making a big pile of TRASH.

So how can we make our mountain adventure less plastic-filled? Plan ahead! As we discussed in our blog post about #GoingPlasticFree at the beach, a little planning can go a long way.

Plastic-Free Vacation Kit: I went over this in detail in our beach vacation post, but putting together a bin or laundry basket of the reusable items you’ll need for your trip will be incredibly helpful. Add a travel-friendly soap dispenser, water cooler or repurposed containers to carry water, and a bucket or wash basin in order to have a full-service washing station.
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Meal/Snack Planning: BYO container to the bulk section to pick up trail mix, look for some package-free fruits and veggies, and do some pre-trip meal prep to transport in your plastic-free or repurposed containers. For some mouthwatering meal ideas, check out The Ultimate List of Make Ahead Camping Meals by takeoutdoors.com.

Make ahead granola bars from takeoutdoors.com

Toiletry Kit: We haven’t found a plastic-free toiletry kit yet, but if you’ve taken our earlier advice on #GoingPlasticFree in the bathroom, then you’re armed with everything you need to transition toiletries to the realm of travel. But for me, reuse and repurposing is key here. For years I have refilled the same pump bottle that originally held store-bought hand soap. Just wash out any pump or squeeze bottle and, voilá - a travel-ready container that will go well beyond its intended single use.

​On the Trail: Reusable snack bags are an excellent choice for keeping your sandwiches, fruit, or trail mix fresh without any added weight. While there are a variety of choices available, we like Etee brand for its organic, sustainably-sourced materials that are fully biodegradable. Their average lifespan is between 120-150 uses.

​(Pictured at left) Etee Brand Sandwich Bags

Don’t forget the sunscreen! As a reminder, here are 6 Plastic-Free Alternatives to sunscreen in plastic bottles.

​We hope you've enjoyed these tips to help you in your (plastic-free) adventuring. Now go forth and recreate!

Sincerely,
Megan Travi
Development Associate
​Asheville GreenWorks