Campers in general, are a unique minded group of people. Who in their right mind Wants to leave all the comforts of home. Sometimes fore fitting all you have acquired in life thus far. Such as, indoor plumbing, a nice warm bed, a fully functional entertainment system, a fully functional kitchen, and on-demand heating and or cooling. Campers do this for a duration of time and call it a “Vacation” or “Getting Away from it all”.

What Campers know that a lot of people don’t, or at least take the time to experience is, life is much bigger than just the little box that is our lives. For the most part, many of us wake up and turn on a box to see what the rest of the world is doing. Then open a box to get something to eat, then get into a box and go to work, work all day in a box, working, typing, searching, playing, dreaming on a box, then drive home in a box, then to sit back down and watch a box until it is time to go to bed. Then do it all over again day in and day out.

Campers tend to see the bigger picture. They know life is not just a box. They know life is a dynamic, ever changing, series of events that somehow creates a seemingly chaotic blend of happenstance and orchestrates it into a beautiful symphony only meant for those who are willing to stop for a moment, watch and listen.

Campers are the ones who like to get out into nature for the hopes to stop for a moment and experience this orchestrated symphony in their souls. If only for a weekend.

The problem is that this symphony is becoming less and less in tune. Campers are witnessing this. More and more wildfires are happening. Lakes, rivers, and streams are drying up. Garbage is littering every square inch of land that we hike and play on. Air is getting more toxic to breath and free water is too dangerous for us to drink and play in.

A lot of people are out their shouting from their soap box, “Save The Planet.” When the truth is...The planet does not need to be saved!!

Wait, What?

To think planet needs our help is quite egotistical. The planet has been around long before us and will be around long after us. What we are trying to say is, how can we bring the planet back to the point of homeostasis? Back to the point where everything is back in balance. Back to where everything is in tune with each other and creates a healthy environment to us to live in.

By getting outside the box of which our lives have become and taking the time to witness the world around us changing, campers tend to be more in tune and aware of environmental changes. The best way to explain how campers are able to do this is simple mental programming.

For instance, the last time you went to go buy some shoes. Not just any type of shoe though. You were looking for blue running/walking shoes. So, you hopped online and started searching and searching. Thanks to mathematical algorithms, certain companies pick up on your searches and you will start seeing ads for blue running/walking shoes all over the place. The thing you can’t explain is why in the world you are starting to see people, out in public, wearing blue running/ walking shoes all over the place as well.

Ultimately, you have programmed your mind to search for blue running/walking shoes. People have always been wearing blue running/walking shoes, it is just they were not in your mental search terms until recently.

This is what it is like for Campers. Campers always have, being outside and exploring the natural world on their mind. Campers mental search terms include phrases like, natural green meadows, or pristine water ways, or natural forests. So, when a change occurs, or something interrupts their mental search terms, campers recognize it first and have an internal desire to put it back to the way they see it in their minds.

Simply knowing how nature looks and behaves without human interaction, campers program their minds to wanting that to stay the same. Which is why campers often have the motto of “Leave No Trace”, or “Leave Only Footprints and Take Only Memories.”

Campers want to keep nature clean and clear of human signs. The thing is Campers also know that we have the internal desire to be comfortable. So, a compromise that has to be made. Which is why we see designate areas for which we can go camping. Or setting up an area for which we can call home for a short period of time. This area may have all the comforts of home, like running water, cooking areas, and waste disposal. Naturally, campers want to keep these areas clean because, who wants to sleep, eat and live in a disgusting wasteland of garbage. Campers also want to keep the area they like to hike, boat, ride, climb, and generally play in, clean of all garbage, because that is what they have programmed their minds to wanting to experience.

So, one of the Benefits of going Camping and How it can Help Preserve, Protect, and Improve Our Environment is simply keeping Nature clean. Campers of all kinds strive to keep non-populated areas of nature free a clear of man-made items and garbage that could be potentially harmful and dangerous to the surrounding ecosystem, which could potentially knock, the seemingly chaotic yet beautiful orchestra of life, out of tune.

Campers also know that it is not just the areas they like to camp in that is important to keep clean. They know that what happens in one part of the world, will sooner or later affect the area they themselves like to camp in. Which is why you will notice many people who love to spend their recreational free time in the outdoors, are very big advocates of Environmental Protection organizations.

This is starting to be seen more and more all over the world. According to The Guardian, “Philanthropists pledge to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030, as the planet’s health climbs the charity agenda”. Within this article, they give examples of high-profile individuals who plan to, or have donated a large amount of their vast wealth to charitable organizations to help protect the environment. However, even with these grand contributions, “environmental philanthropy remains dwarfed by other areas, accounting for only about 8% of giving”, quotes the Guardian.

Another great quote in this article from CEO Mark Benioff states, “None of us can do Everything, but everyone must do something”. Which is why Around The Campfire Productions, (parent company of Campfirestoriesandsmore.com), will be joining in the fight to Preserve, Protect and Improve our Environment. Starting with the Pacific Whale Foundation. Keeping in the spirit of “...Everyone must do Something.”

Hopefully by now you can start to see how just being a Camper is much more than taking a weekend trip to go stay out in the woods somewhere, roasting S’mores and telling Campfire Stories. Rather it is a type of reprogramming your own personal search terms to get you to notice and appreciate the world around you a little bit more. Making it a little more appealing to do your part in helping to Preserve, Protect and Improve our Environment.

Thank you for Reading:

The Benefits of Camping: How Camping can Help Preserve, Protect and Improve Our Environment. (Part 1) Keeping Nature Natural

To Be Continued...(Part 2) Reduce, Reuse, Recycle... Camp Style.