Going e As a Vandweller

I find it ever more important to look at what I do and how I do it to be environmentally friendly these days.  This is as true at home as during my travels.

It’s hard to deny that our lifestyles contribute to polluting the environment.  This statement is true on many levels, such as the vehicle we drive, the products we use, services we purchase, food we eat, clothing we wear, and so on.

I don’t believe that just not living in a home as a full time or part time vandweller is enough to say we are ok and doing our part for the environment.

Mankind is depleting natural resources faster than ever, or should I say faster than the earth can replicate.

My biggest move to becoming more environmentally  minded as a Vandweller was my move to the Prius life, from a Class B Campervan at 10 mpg to my Prius at 50 mpg, I thought I was making a statement, and I was.

The problem was the Prius for all the fun in driving and parking so many places where people had no clue, it couldn’t get me to many places due to its ground clearance and lack of all wheel drive.

So my move 3 years ago to a lightweight pickup camper combination was a step backwards for the environment, wasn’t it?

My youngest son has been bugging me for a few years to get a Tesla as my Vandwelling vehicle, but limitations in charging stations and distance are a drawback for many of the places I go.  The concept of doing this was appealing, but not practical.  Elon Musk’s proposed all electric truck with extended distance could be that vehicle but it’s somewhere in the range of $80K and a few years away.

There are many smaller things we can do as vandwellers, regardless of what we drive.  My friends that buy clothing from thrift shops are doing their part by repurposing clothing.  

Other friends often offer used items for little to no cost to others as a way of exchanging items.  At home we have a swap ahead at the landfill.  I’ve personally benefited from such exchanges.  I’m also benefited from the RTR swap pile.

Enter the plastic bag discussion.  In Massachusetts where I live only a few towns ban plastic bags at point of sale.  In California where my youngest son lives and,  where I visit on my travels, has a ban on plastic bags.

I have told myself time and time again that I repurpose the Walmart and Home Depot bags by using them for rubbish cans at home and in my camper on my travels, so that is good, right?

Well in a way it is.  But, I see many plastic bags blowing around and stuck to fences and bushes as I drive out great country.  The problem is bigger than me repurposing my bags.  These bags are not designed to decompose quickly.  They are not made of plant based materials.  

As a Vandweller I have decided on skipping the bag here and there at stores that offer them and be more deliberate using reusable bags.  For my rubbish and bio waste I have now purchased these 100% compostable bags that I am trying and for the two weeks I have had them in use I’m happy with the results.  There have not been any holes or spills, provided there are no sharp objects.

I can change the world but I did live a good part of my life without plastic bags and there is no reason not to try it again.  It’s just one thing that I can do, 

It may be one thing you can do too.

We have one earth and we need to make the best of it.

Brent

macaloney@hotmail.com