Waste and Reusables Sustainability Practices

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American generates almost 5 pounds of waste per day. The result is overburdened landfills and a trashed environment. One might not want to think about such statistics, especially not while on vacation. But residents of Durango appreciate your thoughtful attempts to minimize your ecological footprint during your stay. Reducing waste is a powerful and relatively simple way that you can help us keep Durango and surrounding areas beautiful for generations of travelers to come!

Easy and Short Term Solutions

Here are a few simple ways to enjoy your vacation while doing your part to minimize your waste footprint. Zero-waste travel isn’t about perfection, but it does take a little bit of forethought. Enjoy Durango like a local with these easy waste-minimizing solutions.

Ditch single use plastics: single use plastic water bottles, bags, straws, and utensils are overwhelmingly prominent in landfills all over the world, and our community landfill is no exception. Bring a refillable water bottle, reusable bags, and even BYO reusable utensils to keep from further burdening our local landfills.
Familiarize yourself with local waste separation guidelines for recycling, composting, and regular trash. Follow these guidelines diligently.
When you hit the trails or are enjoying the myriad nearby campgrounds and trails systems, adopt a “leave only footprints” mentality. You packed it in? Then please pack it out.
When camping or picnicking in our beautiful trail systems and campgrounds, please bring trash bags and take your waste back to town for proper disposal if no waste facilities are available.
Also when enjoying our local trail systems and campgrounds, minimize campfire impact, stay on designated trails, and respect wildlife and vegetation.

Future and Longer-Term Solutions

If you are serious about helping our community to streamline our waste footprint, there’s plenty you can do on the front end of your trip to be a truly zero-waste traveler. Here some heavier hitting solutions to keep in mind before your trip:

Before you get here, seek out lodging options that promote a minimal environmental impact.
Source secondhand gear. Need to shop for clothing, suitcases, or gear for your trip? Opt for purchasing gently used belongings to minimize the waste factor.
Avoid paper waste by digitizing your transactions. Use your tech instead of a paper ticket, and ask for digital receipts to save on paper and ink.
For the zero-waste savvy travelers, invest in eco-savvy and travel-friendlier toiletries. Some companies turn common liquids into easily-packable bars and tubes. Seek options with either no or compostable packaging, or packaging that can be refilled!

Summarizing

In this era of massive over production and consumption, individuals have so much more ability, and responsibility, to make a positive impact on the environment. Bringing awareness of your ecological footprint doesn’t need to overshadow your trip. There is absolutely a way for you to have the trip of a lifetime and contribute to the brighter future of our community and collective planet. Thank you for visiting our little slice of paradise, and for helping us to keep it pristine for generations of locals and visitors alike.