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I, like you, have been inundated with the word “Green.” I’m not tired of it – in fact, I find it interesting how many ‘main-stream’ companies are embracing the concept, although I do worry that many will tire of the barrage. Some folks are tuned out to the green movement and are relatively untouchable. Others are waiting for more data with which to make an informed decision. And then there are those of us who are just so gaga and geeked-out over the Green movement that we can’t wait to do more!

Forgive my digression; this isn’t about politics, corporations, or even a distinct call to action. This article is intended to simply serve as a guide to help those who want to be more green on their next outdoor vacation, to do just that!

1. You will not believe the number of times that I, as an outfitter, have seen groups of friend who hail from the same neighborhood arrive in a caravan of SEPARATE VEHICLES. There are many reasons why individuals may want to drive separately, and many of these reasons are valid. But all too often, people just do not think to go the eco-friendly route and carpool. For larger parties who are rafting, or traveling elsewhere together, busing could be a great option. Some of the outfitters have great discounts available. Last year I had a deal with a luxury bus company where individuals in a party of 44 or less could travel from Southern California to the American River for as little as $36 per person! There are many great things about this – you are traveling with friends, you have access to DVD players and a bathroom, and someone else is doing the driving. This is a nice, easy way to reduce your carbon footprint.

2. Cook with propane. If you have the ability to use a propane barbeque rather than charcoal, do so. Propane burns cleaner. This is a tough one, because the taste of charred cooking is so good. However, there are studies that suggest that the stuff coming off the charcoal is not great for your health, so now you have two reasons to reconsidered charcoal.

3. Sunblock is a must when you are out on the river or out in the sun. There are some debates as to what’s good for your skin and what isn’t; however, there is fewer and fewer debate about the damaging effects of sunblock on the ocean’s coral reefs. While rafting isn’t in the ocean, we figure it might be good for you to look for organic/all natural sunblocks that do not contain the following: PABA, octinoxate, oxybenzone, 4-methylbenzylidene camphor and the preservative butylparaben. Believe it or not, upwards of six million gallons of sunblock is being washed off our bodies and into the oceans annually!!

4. For those of you who are completely addicted to water sports, you may want to invest in your own life vest. While they cannot be called “life” vests any longer (there is no guarantee that they can save lives, and someone somewhere sued), they are a viable purchase for any river enthusiast. But when you are considering the prospect of buying a Personal Flotation Device (or PFD, for short), it is important to consider the environmental ramifications. Astral uses a completely recyclable foam, which is easier on the earth. And of course, safety is not a concern as their vests have a great reputation!

5. Do you eat organically? We do. When you do decide to go this route, please be aware that food spoils MUCH faster. After we discovered this, we stepped back for a minute to assess what the heck they put in other food that makes it last so long. Organic food generally has to travel far less to get to the grocery store, thus creating a smaller carbon footprint. The products used to grow the food are better for the earth, and the animals are treated more humanely.

6. Here’s an easy one: By virtue of whitewater rafting, you are automatically going on a green trip! River rafting requires manpower, as opposed to an electric or fuel-run engine.

7. One of the biggest changes we can make, whether on vacation or not, is to dump this habit of buying plastic water bottles. Instead, look for reusable water containers. It is very important to hydrate, especially when active, like whitewater rafting. My favorite container is glass – the breakage factor often makes me chose something else, but when the benefit outweighs the chance of breakage, I opt for glass. Switching to metal or even glass bottles is an excellent positive move. Check out actress Rachel McAdams’ website, Green Is Sexy, where you can buy semi-designer glass bottles, also known as Love Bottles.

These seven tips should help make your whitewater rafting vacation greener. Hopefully, being greener makes you feel better about yourself, and empowers you to realize how a little effort makes a huge difference. I’m enjoying the battle between the big corporations as they come out with better cars, better cleaners and better foods. Ultimately, the benefit is all of ours as we save our planet and reverse the negative forces now in place.

Have a good rafting trip!

Nature’s-Classroom, located in the heart of Gold Country on the American River, is a leading provider of environmental education experiences in Northern California. The great outdoors becomes the classroom, as participants are taken whitewater rafting and are educated onthe rich ecological and natural history of this iconic region.

Global warming is a prevalent issue in the world right now, not only because of its impact, but because the viewpoints on the issue are so varied from one individual to the next. Some people believe that this is an important issue that needs resolution, while others feel that the earth is experiencing natural climate cycles. I know where my personal stance is, but also firmly believe that regardless of our opinion on the issue, there are things that we can do to reduce our energy expenditures and make the world a greener place.

I think the focus on cleaning things up is a good, a positive. You could drive yourself crazy trying to have zero carbon footprint but there are some things we can do that are simple – and free of cost!

Much of our daily life is surrounded by technological advances that make aspects of life easier. Think about the napkin. A simple, mass produced paper product single-handedly made take-away food much, much easier. But now we realize how much wood is required to make our throw away face wiping products. At our home, we have gone back to tea towels. We throw them in with laundry the we would be doing anyway and we’re reusing towel. As a special bonus, cloth is so much nicer on my baby fresh face!

You can also shop for local foods, which is a fairly common practice, especially with the abundance of natural and organic foods. I’ve found that some people cringe at this idea, and assume that they will have to move to a commune, quit shaving, and change their name to Willow Rainfall or some other similar esoteric hippie title. But I have news for all you more conservative types: Studies show that natural and organic foods benefit not only the environment, but YOUR health. So make the change for YOU, and the local community that you are supporting. Better yet, you will be reintroduced to a concept called FLAVOR. Whether you are a carnivore or avowed vegetarian, you will find a difference in both your health and the taste!

Nix those nice, convenient plastic water bottles. Research shows that BPAs (those nasty chemicals found in certain plastic water bottles) have adverse effects on health. Check out Nalgene, which has started making BPA-free bottles. You can also take a look at metal bottles, which are often recyclable. Believe it or not, even glass bottles are starting to appear – check out LoveBottleDOTnet. If you like to filter your water before drinking it, both Brita and PUR make high-quality filters. As a matter of fact, new studies suggest that tap water is often healthier than the expensive, bottled variety. Why? Municipal water districts answer to EPA standards, which require multiple tests a day. In the meantime, bottled water companies must only report to the FDA, which only mandates once-a-week testing. Thus, tap water is actually better for you! Crazy.

You can also exercise your environmental consciousness by purchasing recyclable packaging, or reducing your packaging needs altogether. While I love pouring that liquid laundry detergent into the machine (along with my tea towels), I’ve switched to powdered in order to use the recyclable cardboard box. It’s an easy change to make. And if I only purchase one or two things from the store, I’ll generally decline the bag. Do I really need the extra assistance to carry my stuff ten feet to the parking lot? And while this is personal preference, I don’t bag certain produce items, like potatoes and cucumbers.

Our wallets can be another great form of motivation for reducing our carbon footprint. I recently switched my lightbulbs from traditional ones to the little twisting CFLs, which burn much cooler. I use 13-watt bulbs, and get 60 watts of light! Another great tactic is to use power strips for all electronic home appliances. Most electronics, including cell phone chargers, continue to draw in electricity even when they are technically not being used. This allows them to start up faster. I made the switch to power strips, and subsequently cut my electric bill in half!

Even Facebook is jumping on the Green bandwagon. If you do not already have an account, you can set one up for free, and install the “lil Green Patch” application. This creates an online garden and allows you to send cute little virtual plants to your friends, which they can add to their online gardens. For every ten friends you send a virtual plant to, you save one square foot of real, non-virtual rain forest. The setup is easy and what can I say, the plants are cute!

And for those of you who balk at the idea of a space-age electric car, rest assured: according to the ACEEE, the greenest car in the United States, for the 6th straight year in a row, is the Honda Civic.

For you Hollywood aficionados, check out Green Is Sexy DOT org for commentary on green living. Check out the url to find out which famous actress founded this helpful site!

When in doubt, remember that doing good for the sake of the greater good can be rewarding. Hopefully these tips give you some new ideas that you will consider and start to implement right away!

Nature’s-classroom offers the most extensive environmental education programs on the American River. Learn more about what our environmental education programs can do for your organization to help you reduce your carbon footprint!