One of the leading deterrents for RV travel are environmental activists. We get it. Cruising around the country in a supposed gas hog emitting pollutants into the atmosphere is not exactly the most eco-friendly vacation. Or is it? We can help you become more environmentally friendly on your next RV adventure. We can also help you feel better about it based on these sustainable RV facts.
Many seek RV road trips to appreciate the natural outdoors. The beauty of nature, breathing in the fresh, clean air and cascading through woodsy mountains like goats or frollicking through the open plains like wild horses. We want to experience nature without treading on it too much.
The actual emissions from point A to point B might not be the most environmentally friendly. We will get to that. The duration of time we stay parked at a final destination can offset the resources we would use if we were taking a different kind of vacation. For example, an airplane trip to and from a destination, staying in a 24-hour powered hotel and renting other means of transportation for the time of our stay is more costly to the environment. Now this isn’t to say, if we have one of those 20 to 40 footers, we wouldn’t be sucking up resources at our campsite. The reality is when we travel by RV, we have CONTROL over how much energy we take when vacationing.
The smaller the RV, the better fuel eQciency it will have. But did you know your RV with a diesel-powered tank can use biodiesel oil or veggie oil instead of petroleum-based diesel oil? Any diesel-powered tank can run on biodiesel. As far as solely veggie oil or waste veggie oil, a few modifications need to be made. These modifications are the cleanest way to run your RV on the road. They require some specifics, so don’t go pouring veggie oil into your tank just yet! If you take the biodiesel route, steer away from pure biodiesel oil, aka B100. The good stuff is a blend. Biodiesel is better for the environment and can be made by large producers to homebrewers. Veggie oil is the best there is for environmentally friendly RV travelers. Find out if that is something you are ready to do. Do your homework, folks.
For even better RV fuel eQciency, make sure you have balanced tire pressure, travel lightly, and stick to a steady 55 mph route. This can help increase fuel efficiency when traveling by RV.
Breaking news! Although there is some debate, solar panels aren’t the most superpower eco-friendly tool. They do help offset the carbon footprint though. Solar panels use the sun to supply charge to a battery converting the power through an inverter. Even if you have solar panels installed by a professional on your RV, you might still want to invest in a generator.
A generator supplies power. This is helpful for charging appliances directly. Some generators need a power hookup, while other built-in generators take from your fuel to power up. As far as solar panels are concerned, cloudy, overcast days and shady spots without much sunlight, might not supply the sunshine you need to amp up your battery. But solar panels are still a good eco-friendly alternative! With the right conditions, you can use solar panels INSTEAD of the generator, which is better for the environment.
This varies from state-to-state and from county-to-county, but many states across the U.S. have strict guidelines to ensure your vehicle is producing the required amount of emissions potentially harmful to the environment. Things such as exhaust pipes, catalytic converters and other mechanics can come into play. If you want to register certain vehicles, you will most likely undergo an emissions test to be sure it is safe for the road.
Emissions testing is good for you too! You want those toxic emissions going out of your RV, not going into it.
Having an RV doesn’t mean you have to run the generator all night or even sleep inside of it. You can pack tents instead. The RV camper can be used mainly as transportation and sleep quarters for the journey, not the final destination.
Campfire Basics
Other important environmentally friendly RV practices include burning wood, tinder, and kindling taken directly from the area you are camping in. Do not burn plastic, styrofoam, metal, paper, cardboard or treated wood. Contain it in a safe space with no low hanging canopies overhead and ensure it is confined in a designated campfire pit. You don’t want anything to catch on fire, and you certainly do not want to smoke any local critters out of their homes!
If your RV does not come equipped with a bathroom, you can use our amazing biodegradable toilet paper for doing your business outdoors instead. It breaks down when wet without harming the environment. Plus, if you eat “clean,” as in mostly raw foods with very few byproducts and additives, your feces can be more like fertilizer than waste. Utilize waste receptacles in RV parks that have them. Don’t leave trash and other waste at your campsite, even if you know park staff will eventually come and clean it up for you.
Don’t go overboard! Noone needs a sleek dental aoss container that can be strategically strapped onto their sun hat. However, more practical eco-friendly tools like refillable containers for water and beverages, instead of plastic – a good tool to have.
Oh, and remember to make music, sing, dance and laugh a lot – we hear nature likes it!
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