How to Hike & Picnic Like a Good Little Eco Friend!

With the warm weather finally rearing it's pretty head, we are entering the season of hiking and picnics in our household.  So this Sunday we did a little geocaching and a LOT of hiking and ended our afternoon with a picnic.

While sitting at a table in our amazing metroparks along the Rocky River, the little ladies and I got to talking about all the litter we saw while hiking.  When geocaching, we practice "cache in, trash out" - the art of collecting trash you find while hunting for your cache.  It's a practice that has been spilling over into our daily lives and quite frankly I'm still amazed that in this day and age, people litter.

So, we came up with some eco-friendly tips for hiking and picnicking and leaving a zero impact on nature.

1. Leave only footprints.
2. Be careful where you walk, so that you don't disturb natural habitats.
2. Carry a canteen - not a disposable water bottle or even a juice box.
3. Pack all trash with you and dispose of it when you leave or get home.
4. Choose local, seasonal, and/or organic foods - fresh fruits & veggies.
5. Use reusable plates, napkins, utensils, and cups.
6. Use natural/organic bug sprays & sunscreens.
7. Bring a camera :)

(forgot to bring the backpacker, so she rode like this up the 500 ft ravine)

(all to see the remnants of an old rollercoaster built into the side of the incline)

(where we found a tree growing on a tree, but no luck on the cache this time)

(and safely, thankfully, made our way back down to our picnic area!)