Leave No Trace. Perhaps you’ve come across this phrase at a trailhead kiosk while hiking at Chewacla or another park or protected area. Perhaps you’ve heard a friend mention it while camping. Maybe you remember learning about it during your days in the Scouts or some other outdoor adventure camp but can’t quite remember what it entails. Or, perhaps, you’ve never come across this phrase at all. Regardless of your awareness of this phrase, we invite you to follow along as we explore the idea and role behind three words, why they are important, and how they can promote and encourage a sustainable mindset, a sustainable community, and even a sustainable (and more beautiful!) campus.
The Leave No Trace (LNT) Center for Outdoor Ethics was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1994, however, its roots go back decades before that. Providing training and offering techniques and skills to minimize negative impacts to the natural environment, the Center ultimately focuses on education, research, and outreach related to responsible and ethical behavior outdoors. With six ethics, or principles, to serve as educational pillars and which will be the focus of successive blog posts, the Center reaches over 15 million individuals in the United States alone, with a strong international presence as well.
Care and stewardship for natural spaces is not a new idea. On a large scale, governmental legislation such as the Clean Air and Water Acts, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and other environmental-focused legislation of the 60s and 70s helped bring environmental and conservation-related concerns to the national spotlight. But even at a smaller, personal scale, it’s probably safe to say that, if you’re reading this, you know that littering is bad and feeding wildlife is frowned upon.
But with public awareness of, and governmental policy support for, sweeping environmental protection policies constantly in a state of ebb and flow, LNT offers a continued opportunity to remind ourselves how we, as individuals, can contribute to a more sustainable community and natural environment. Furthermore, the value of LNT and the ideals it promotes, shouldn’t be considered only during our time spent in the backcountry and natural areas. Rather, we can apply them in our everyday life right here on campus.
Which brings us to our first LNT principle – Plan Ahead and Prepare. Fairly self-explanatory, this principle lays the foundation for the remaining principles in that, especially in a backcountry setting, failure to adequately plan can influence subsequent principles, often in negative ways. From preparing for extreme weather to repackaging food to minimize waste (more on this later!), it is important to do your best to prepare for all eventualities, as well as plan in a way that simply helps improve your experience.
I know what you are thinking. “Is this guy saying I should bring extreme weather gear every day to my classes?” Of course not. However, let’s consider a couple of ways in which we might “plan ahead” for a day on campus while considering aspects of sustainability.
- Did you bring your reusable coffee mug? These days, reusable water bottles are more commonplace than ever (Thank you, Stanley…). However, perhaps less common are reusable coffee mugs. Yes, I know, we love to show off our red cups from a certain coffee establishment, but consider this: some estimates show roughly 50 BILLION single-use cups thrown out every year in the United States. We might throw them away, but those cups don’t magically disappear. Even some universities, like the University of Pittsburgh, are taking steps toward more sustainable coffee drinking on campus, and most coffee shops will still make your favorite handcrafted espresso drink in a reusable cup and often give you a discount as well. So, if you know you will be looking for some caffeine sometime during your day, don’t forget to grab your coffee mug along with your water bottle.
- Map your route to campus. In a recent study for AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Americans spend an average of just over an hour in their vehicles each day. While, of course, this varies for the average college student, staff, or faculty, but what if we could spend that hour enjoying some fresh air and exercise? What if we took the time to plan ahead and take advantage of the amazing campus transit system we have in the form of Tiger Transit? Chances are, there is a stop closer to you than you realized. If nothing else, it saves on gas money and fighting over parking spots! The point is that while we, as a society, love our cars, why not start normalizing walking to class? Taking the bus? Take the time to look at pedestrian options to campus, and perhaps you’ll find youself walking through some beautiful parks or other natural spaces, reaping the benefits of time spent outdoors. For example, my bike route to campus includes riding through Town Creek Park. It might add 4-5 minutes to my commute, but I get to enjoy some beautiful scenery on my way into the office.
In the end, Planning Ahead and Preparing is about taking an extra moment, or two, to consider how your daily choices might impact your experience and the experience of others and the environment around you. Impacts and considerations we will consider in future installments of our posts related to Leave No Trace. In the meantime, I encourage you to learn more about what the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is all about and has to offer regarding resources related to responsible and ethical outdoor behavior.
Written by Michael Brunson, Professor of Practice and Leave No Trace Level 2 Instructor, Parks and Recreation Management, College of Forestry, Wildlife, & Environment
