Minimizing Waste While RVing

If you are like us, you enjoy RV travel because it allows you to stay in places of incredible natural beauty. You may have found a favorite spot on the shores of a lake, river, or ocean, nestled in the forest, or with a wide-open view of mountains or deserts. Imagine if you or your family returned sometime in the future and your favorite campsite was either full of trash or shut down. In just five years on the road, we have experienced this firsthand. 

With the popularity of camping and spending time outdoors at an all-time high, if we don't all do our part, we risk losing access to these places of natural beauty away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

Whether you boondock or stay at a luxury resort, as RVers, we are responsible for protecting the places we so dearly love. We should always strive to minimize our waste and properly manage our trash and recycling wherever we go. As a family who has embraced extended Airstream travel, we've learned a thing or two about minimizing waste on the road and have put together a guide on best practices for reducing waste before, during, and after your RV adventures. 

Sustainably Stock your RV 

If you've just purchased a new RV or are in the process of replacing items in your current setup, consider sustainably stocking your RV to minimize your waste. Making mindful choices about the products you stock your RV with can prevent you from having bags of trash to take with you at the end of your adventure. Plus, many of these eco-friendly alternatives not only cut down on waste but also take up less space and elevate your camping experience, adding a touch of style to your home on wheels.

Remember, you don't have to be perfect. For example, I still have paper towels but use substantially less by keeping a few Swedish dishcloths on hand. 

Sorting and Storing 

Once you're on the road, maintaining a low-waste lifestyle involves a bit of creativity and consistency. 

We only keep a small trash bin in the bathroom and another under the kitchen sink in the Airstream. Recyclables get stacked under the kitchen sink and taken out occasionally. We crush them to save space, and then they are placed in a Kelty Litter G'tter. If we aren't staying at an RV park with trash and recycling, they are stored in the back of the truck until we can find a recycling receptacle or center, and we sort them there. We rotate two Planet Wise Reusable Liners for our kitchen trash and use a silicone twist tie to close them until we find a place to empty them. 

By keeping these items locked in the back of the truck, we are keeping them away from wildlife, and also, if we are venturing away from the Airstream, we can often find trash and recycling receptacles where we can offload these items. We rinse the bags occasionally or throw them in the wash if they start to smell. 

Waste Management 

As your trip comes to an end, correctly managing your waste ensures you leave no trace. If you are heading back home, you can simply sort all items into your household trash and recycling, but it can sometimes be tricky between destinations. 

Some locations make recycling easy, but other times, it's a challenge. Along our routes, we have found rest stops, visitor centers, recreational parks, grocery stores, libraries, and some big box stores that will have bins for small amounts of trash and recycling. 

When these options are limited, I use Google Maps to find a recycling center along our route, and another online resource I recently discovered is Earth911.com, where you can enter the material and a zip code to find places to recycle items. With both online search options, verifying before you pull in is best, as the information or hours may not be completely current.