Swingin' outdoors without a guilty conscience: How to be considerate of nature
by Tanita Steckel
We believe environmental protection is important and concerns all of us. Not just to mitigate climate change, but also in order to be able to enjoy nature for as long as possible.
That's why we've talked to a tree expert over the past few weeks. Michelle Sundermann from the Landesforstamt Hessen told us how the German forest is doing and what we can do to help. Conclusion: Unfortunately, our forests are not doing so well.You can read up on the whole conversation here and here read up.
That made us think. We asked ourselves how we can be even more considerate of nature when we're out and about. Nobody is perfect, and some things you simply don't even think about. It is quite obvious, for example, that an open fire in the forest is a no-go. But what about raves in the woods? Or camping in a van?
The opinion of the #SCHWINGERCLUB
That's why we asked your opinion a few days ago on Instagram. Here are your answers:
Some of you have added to this point that YES, music through headphones is of course perfectly fine. Even so, you shouldn't have the music too loud so that you can still hear ambient noises - if a tree branch falls or something.Others of you find that music through speakers is generally not a problem either - as long as it is not too loud. And that's right. Because the wild animals, that live where you want to camp, will likely feel disturbed by unfamiliar, loud noises.
Specifically, that means: The bass speakers should definitely stay at home. And raves in the forest, no matter how much fun they are, should not be part of your itinerary. For the sake of the animals.
On this, all of you seem to agree: using a gas cooker is just fine, but open fire has no place in the forest. And we feel the same way. Sure: Experienced campers know how to set up a campfire that leaves as few traces as possible and certainly does not cause a forest fire. But even then, a campfire is not a natural phenomenon and can frighten forest animals.
LeaveNoTrace as a guiding principle
Incidentally, this also corresponds to one of the principles of LeaveNoTrace. This is an American outdoor philosophy dedicated to low impact outdoor adventures. Much of this has already passed into our daily actions intuitively, as you can see from your answers. We also asked you what exactly you are doing to protect nature:
LeaveNoTrace collects a few more recommendations for action and specific tips on how to be considerate of nature. The main idea is: Be empathetic and considerate of animal residents and other outdoor friends. You are only a guest in the forest - so don't break anything, take anything with you and don't leave anything that doesn't belong there. That also applies to rubbish.
Van or tent? No matter, the main thing is HÄNG!
Last but not least, we wanted to know how you would prefer to spend your night outdoors. The van is the winner here, although not by much. But whether it's a tent or a van - with the DÄCKE it’s gonna be really cozy in both summer and winter.
And by the way: You can also spend the night in a hammock. We have tested it and can report: Up to approx. 21 ° C air temperature is super comfortable in the HÄNG. When it gets colder, you should think about an underquilt.
You'll get tips on camping in cold temperatures in the blog next week, so stay tuned!
