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Top Ten Tips for Being Green at Camp
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Top 10 things to do to stay green at Camp Top Ten
1. Form a "green committee" of staff and volunteers. Get everyone's input on ways to stay green!
2. Start a Captain Planet[R] (or some type of other environmental) program for campers. Use awards and/or badges to make it fun and encourage involvement.
3. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs in your facilities.
4. Keep camp beautiful! Pick up litter and clutter; make your green space enticing. Eliminate as much paper, plastic, and Styrofoam[R] as you can from program, food service, and maintenance areas.
5. Get campers involved in conserving electricity and water. Put up friendly signs by faucets and light switches as reminders.
6. Have a land management plan for your camp.
7. Research recycling methods for your area, and put a recycling plan into action at your camp.
8. Compost plant material and install composting toilets.
9. Review what you buy. Buy recycled supplies from local sources and buy in bulk, which uses less packaging. Avoid purchasing products that have been shipped around the world in containers.
10. Conduct an energy audit for utilities such as water, gas, electricity, and heating and cooling. Upgrade to newer equipment and recycle older equipment.
And always, take time to smell the roses, count ants, enjoy butterflies, listen to the wind in the trees, and watch sunsets!
Contributions by Tom Horner of Catalina Island Camps in Two Harbors, California; Andy Kane of YMCA Camp Thunderbird; Jim Parry of Collin County YMCA Adventure Camp in Anna, Texas; Jessica Speers-Holmes of YMCA of the Sierra; and edited by A.L. "ALF" Ferreira, YMCA Camp Indian Springs, Crawfordville, Florida.
Originally published in the 2007 November/December issue of Camping Magazine.
Camping Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2007
1. Form a "green committee" of staff and volunteers. Get everyone's input on ways to stay green!
2. Start a Captain Planet[R] (or some type of other environmental) program for campers. Use awards and/or badges to make it fun and encourage involvement.
3. Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs in your facilities.
4. Keep camp beautiful! Pick up litter and clutter; make your green space enticing. Eliminate as much paper, plastic, and Styrofoam[R] as you can from program, food service, and maintenance areas.
5. Get campers involved in conserving electricity and water. Put up friendly signs by faucets and light switches as reminders.
6. Have a land management plan for your camp.
7. Research recycling methods for your area, and put a recycling plan into action at your camp.
8. Compost plant material and install composting toilets.
9. Review what you buy. Buy recycled supplies from local sources and buy in bulk, which uses less packaging. Avoid purchasing products that have been shipped around the world in containers.
10. Conduct an energy audit for utilities such as water, gas, electricity, and heating and cooling. Upgrade to newer equipment and recycle older equipment.
And always, take time to smell the roses, count ants, enjoy butterflies, listen to the wind in the trees, and watch sunsets!
Contributions by Tom Horner of Catalina Island Camps in Two Harbors, California; Andy Kane of YMCA Camp Thunderbird; Jim Parry of Collin County YMCA Adventure Camp in Anna, Texas; Jessica Speers-Holmes of YMCA of the Sierra; and edited by A.L. "ALF" Ferreira, YMCA Camp Indian Springs, Crawfordville, Florida.
Originally published in the 2007 November/December issue of Camping Magazine.
COPYRIGHT 2007 American Camping Association
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning