Greening Up a Summer Camping Trip Part II

When I first posted all of those awesome Green goodies for camping I had promised to also give some information on the other necessities for a successful camping experience such as tents, sleeping bags and convenience accessories. Surprisingly, the toughest item to find was the one I had thought would be easiest -- the tent -- but there is a world of amazing gear out there for the eco conscious camper, it is all a matter of tracking it down!

I found this super cool tent from Green Outdoor made from a double layer of protective canvas. The outside is made from a blend of hemp and cotton and they have made it waterproof so no additional treatment is required to protect the inhabitants from the elements. The company has taken advantage of recycled guy lines, buckles and webbing as well as use bamboo for their pegs and lightweight aluminum for the poles. The inner liner is also cotton and has a sturdy ground sheet to ensure a comfy experience. The tent is an Earth friendly tan color and is in a popular pyramid style.

When laying under the stars it is nice to feel the comforts of home, well at least I think so! In order to do that a sturdy, warm and comfortable sleeping bag is the first order of business. For me, warmth is also key so when I came across the Battle Mountain bag by Big Agnes rated for temperatures as low as -15 degrees I was in love! With some bamboo fiber fill created from synthesized bamboo charcoal and the remaining fill from goose down this bag was rated as Green Gear of the year in 2007.

If you are like me and truly desire additional comfort while sleeping on the ground then the Eco Thermo 6 Sleeping Pad is just the thing to provide sweet carbon neutral dreams. Yes that’s right, I said carbon neutral. Making use of bamboo fiber, bamboo charcoal insulation and recycled aluminum was not enough for this company. They also went out and started buying up a whole bunch of carbon offset credits to neutralize the CO2 used in manufacturing and shipping the product. Cool!

Making use of these items is a great way to go green but for the casual camper why not consider either renting already existing gear or borrowing from someone else. Forgo the “buy it to use it once” syndrome and check around town. I can not say enough about REI as they will even rent a camping stove and this service is available in 28 states. Availability is definitely limited on this though so be sure to book it well in advance.

Then come on over to our campsite and share a beer and a ‘smore.

See you on the trail!

Fox Show "24" Goes Completely Carbon Neutral

There are only a few shows I watch these days and one of them is the action packed Fox show 24. This past Monday night, we learned during one of the commercial breaks that this show has become the first ever television program to become completely carbon neutral. Way to go 24!

The information could have been easily missed as they did not tout the fact repeatedly (as I felt they should have!) but rather, during just one commercial break, Kiefer Sutherland simply asked people to check out fox.com for more details. After a bit of searching I came across the article detailing the show’s environmental efforts.

About a year ago the show aimed to reduce their carbon footprint and through strong efforts managed to do so by 43%. By acquiring additional carbon offsets (wind projects) they will achieve the complete reduction of the show’s remaining 57% this year. Please check out the article by News Corp to review the twelve initiatives the entire cast and production crew have accomplished since the start of filming season seven. There have been four announcements filmed (the first as referenced above) and all will be aired during the show on Monday nights. These PSA’s will not only alert the public viewing population to the efforts of the show itself but what we as individuals can do to reduce our own carbon footprint for a positive impact on climate change.

With this solid of an effort I am granting 24 the very honorable Five Green Leaf Rating!

I hope every show on television takes a cue from 24 and works as intently to reduce or completely neutralize their own carbon footprint. I will be watching every week and applauding your Green adventures!