A North American Sustainable Journey
How often have we noticed that when we travel it is more difficult to shop organic and eat healthy foods or noticed that most of our outdoor gear is not made up of the most eco-friendly materials?
It is relatively easy integrating sustainable techniques in an established home setting, but we have observed that once a living situation has become mobile, the eco-friendliness seems to come to a halt.
Project Goals
- Awaken people to the fact that living sustainably must go beyond our daily habits. It must accompany us when we are traveling, vacationing, backpacking, taking business trips, and taking weekend jaunts.
- Educate people about wilderness areas that are currently under threat by deforestation and global warming. Our main intention is to get people into the outdoors to inspire them to care about the outdoors.
- Influence companies and businesses to integrate more sustainable methods in manufacturing, shipping, transporting, product design as well as in their overall internal structure. We intend to accomplish this by utilizing products on our trip that retain a sustainable model. We also intend to include interviews from store co-ops and company employees to provide additional perspectives of sustainability in their own industries.
Project Overview
Last summer, Four adventurers traveled on an eco-friendly journey across North America on a route from Death Valley, CA to Alaska. The team met with organic farmers, park rangers, business owners, and local natives, who opened a whole new spin on the word “sustainability.”
Pic: Sierra Nevada Mountains, CA
Lessons learned on the road…
- How much Green it takes to become Green
- Organic vs. Local Food
- Dynamic personal perspective on sustainability
- Shopping for USDA organic labeled food from grocery stores.
- The issues with organic farms and farmer’s markets
- Wearing clothes composed of recycled fibers and renewable materials.
- Using gear that originates from a sustainable manufacturing process.
- Living minimally during activities, and reducing our waste production.
Project Challenges
- Food→ Contained organic ingredients, and produce purchased at farmers markets, farms, and local coops. View a list of our Food suppliers.
- Clothing→ Contained organic natural fibers or synthetic materials utilizing renewable (upscaled or recycled fibers, and/or alternative fibers). View a list of our Clothing suppliers.
- Hygiene→ Composed of natural ingredients, no animal byproducts, no animal cruelty, and minimized chemical additives. View a list of hygiene suppliers
- Cleaning Supplies→ Composed of natural ingredients, no animal byproducts, no animal cruelty, and minimized chemical additives. View a list of cleaning product suppliers
- Gear→ Manufactured mostly from renweable synthetic materials, recycled petrochemicals, and upcycled metals. Alternatively demo gear and used gear acceptable. View a list of gear suppliers
- Misc. Items → Manufactured from renewable synthetic materials, recycled petrochemicals, and upcycled metals. In cases where the industry does permit the use of such materials, we selected goods from companies who internally perform sustainable business practices. View a list of misc. item suppliers