Written by: Anna Sibal 06/03/2011 12:07 AM
One of the many benefits of camping outdoors and roughing it is that it brings us closer to nature.We see facets of nature that often escape our attention when surrounded by the trappings of urban life; we experience firsthand how beautiful nature is. We also begin to realize how important it is for us to protect nature.
One of the ways you can reduce your impact on nature is to use environmentally friendly tents rather than regular tents made from synthetic and environmentally harmful materials. Here are four types of green tents that you can buyor make so you can enjoy your next camping tripswith the knowledge you did a bit more to be eco-friendly.
Tents made from natural or organic fabrics
The greenest tents that you can find are those made from natural fabrics such as cotton, hemp, or wool. You can stay outdoors in a cotton or hemp teepee, a woolen yurt, or an army tent walled with cotton. As long as the sources of these fabrics are organically grown or raised, you will leave very little trace behind you when you use these tents.
These tents are not without their disadvantages. For one, they can be quite expensive, costing hundreds of dollars. Secondly, they may not wear well in wet conditions unless they are waterproofed. Third, they can be heavy to carry around. Still, if you don't plan on carrying your tent around and moving your campsite a lot, these tents made from natural fabrics are ideal green tents.
You can buy tents made from natural or organic fabrics at:
Tents manufactured using recycled and recyclable materials
Tents made from synthetic materials continue to be more popular than tents made from natural fabric for two reasons. One is that synthetic tents provide more protection in wet weather. The other is that these tents weigh much lighter than tents made from natural fabric.
A few tent manufacturers, however, have started going the eco-friendly route by making their products from recycled and recyclable materials. These tents are created from recycled polyester and waterproofed using solvent-free coatings. Many of these tents come only in white because their manufacturers have chosen not to use toxic dyes. Most of them are furnished with DAC tent poles - recyclable aluminum poles free from toxic coatings. So, if you want a lightweight and waterproof green tent, you should look for these tents made from recycled and recyclable materials.
You can buy tents made from recycled and recyclable materials from:
Older tents
More often than not, people buy new tents because their old ones have faded and look worn down.Sometimes, their tents have rips and tears that they either don't have time or knowhow to fix. They throw their tents away, when a little time and effort would save them money and reduce waste.
If you do not mind the look of a patchwork tent and would not mind fixing a few wears and tears, you can rescue and reuse these older tents. Ask people you know to give you their old tents if they are planning to buy new ones. You can also buy secondhand tents. In this way, you can reduce the clutter in our landfills and do your part in protecting the environment.
Places to get second hand tents:
DIY tents
If you enjoy do-it-yourself projects or know someone who does, you can create your very own tent. In this way, you can design your own tent and use materials that you want. You can, for instance, create your own teepee or tent using old shower curtains and bamboo poles or improvise using whatever materials are readily available.
Before you next go camping consider buying or creating a green tent to reduce your carbon footprint and doing that bit more to protect nature.
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