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Let's Talk Trash: Wilderness trips without garbage

Home to 32 lakes, an abundance of rivers, beaches, trails and campgrounds, Powell River is the perfect place for an outdoor adventure.
Outdoor adventure planning
THINKING AHEAD: Powell River Regional District’s Let’s Talk Trash team suggests planning before going on outdoor adventures can reduce the amount of recycling and garbage during the trip. Contributed photo

Home to 32 lakes, an abundance of rivers, beaches, trails and campgrounds, Powell River is the perfect place for an outdoor adventure. With a little planning, that next adventure can take place without resulting in a pile of garbage in the midst of nature’s paradise.

For car camping and beachside barbecues, skip the disposable propane canisters and invest in a reusable propane tank. A five-pound propane tank costs a mere $5 to fill, lasts for many meals and will even fit into the back hatch of a sea kayak. Recycle green propane canisters at Augusta Recyclers and make the investment, which will save money in the long run.

For the lightweight backpacker, look for a refillable stove solution. Many options are out there these days, so skip the disposable canisters.

Buying bulk ingredients instead of prepackaged can also save another trip to the recycling depot and make backpacks that much lighter.

For those who are super keen, dehydrate meals, then package them in material that can be recycled or reused at the end of the trip, as opposed to non-recyclable, laminate packaging that pre-made dehydrated meals usually come in.

Putting in the effort at home to reduce packaging waste and choosing reusable or recyclable items before heading out into the great outdoors is rewarding. It is still possible to have separate collections for compost and recyclables away from home; just plan ahead.

When bags are a bit lighter at the tail end of the trip, consider packing out some debris other folks have left behind. One or two pieces of trash often has a magnetic power to accumulate more.

Fire pits are notorious trash-collection points, which is shocking since burning plastic releases toxic fumes.

When exploring the great outdoors this summer, keep it simple and follow this rule: pack it in, pack it out.

And, if possible, pack out a bit extra.

Let’s Talk Trash is Powell River Regional District’s waste-management education program.