9 Ways to Go Green in the Desert
You probably don’t go to a National Park thinking “hey I can’t wait to wreak havoc on this precious and rare environment!” (If for some reason that’s you, please get help). Usually you’re just excited to see all the cool natural wonders you googled while planning, maybe you’re even hoping to get a fantastic shot for the ‘gram, or hoping to encounter some of the wildlife.
I get you. That’s me too. But in our excitement, we tend to cause some accidental harm. Whether it’s ‘just stepping off the path for a quick picture’ or ‘getting way too close to that bear because this is once in a life-time’ Nature enthusiasts tend to make mistakes that put us, or the environment, in harm’s way.
Some of these problems come up because we’re just way out of our element. Take someone who’s used to hiking in the woods and drop them in the desert, and they’ll probably think it’s fine to follow the same rules. Unfortunately, it’s not. While navigating the tricky art of enjoying desert nature without harming it, here are 7 tips to help you get started if you, like me, are used to more trees than rock:
1. WATCH YOUR STEP! THERE’S A WHOLE LIVING WORLD HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT
I know, I know. It really doesn’t look like much. Hard dirt maybe. There are a few splotches of color here and there. What’s the big deal? But desert soil is home to an essential microbiome.
That lumpy black soil is actually a teeming community of lichens, algae, mosses, microfungi, and cyanobacteria. These organisms make the particles of soil stick together, forming a thick, sponge-like material. So What?
Fair enough. Rocky, germy, sponge doesn’t sound all that great. But it’s keeping the desert together. Literally. This biological crust is resistant to erosion, it traps water, and produces nature’s homemade fertilizer, making it possible for plants to grow. Without this crust, the rocky deserts of southern utah would just be dunes.
Fantastic. What does this have to do with me?
So glad you’re still reading. Even though this soil crust can hold the desert together through rain and wind, and be over a hundred years old, one thing it can’t survive is your footprint. Where you step, you kill. And this stuff can take at least 50 years to really recover. (Sorry for the drama but this is serious). This ground just wasn’t made for walking.
But good news! The kind people of the US National Park Service (NPS) have done a fantastic job building trails for you to walk. You’re perfectly safe stepping there. If you want to go off trail – and it’s pretty tempting- make SURE you walk on bare rock or sandy washes. If you can’t get where you want without stepping on the soil, find another way around. Or just find somewhere else to explore. It’s like playing ‘the floor is lava’- except the lava is the one who’s going to get hurt.
I know it kind of sucks not being able to stomp around wherever you please, but think of it this way- you can claim you’re doing a solid for the planet just by not walking.
2. BRING YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLE
You know you’re supposed to. You’ve seen all the signs and the facebook posts, but bottled water is just easy. Except that it’s terrible for literally everyone. And as this is catching on, some parks, like Zion, don’t even sell bottled water anymore. Besides, there’s nothing more refreshing than cold water on a hot hike. Go ahead and invest in that hydroflask. I know you want to. If you forgot your reusable bottle, no worries. It’s a great excuse to visit the gift shop. Nearly all parks have water refill stations, so don’t worry about running out-unless you’re going on a hike. Then please prepare.
******EXCEPTION******There is NO running water in Canyonlands National Park, and VERY LIMITED (like emergencies only limited) water for sale. Make sure you bring at least 1.5 L of water/person/day, more if you’re hiking at all.
3. USE WATER SPARINGLY
You’ve probably heard this one a few thousand times by now, but it’s kind of extra important when you’re in an environment that’s notoriously dry. If you’re staying at a hotel, be frugal with the tap. If you’re camping, use your water wisely. If you’re hiking though, please drink enough water. You don’t want to have to be heli-lifted out. That’s not so eco-friendly.
4. DON’T. TOUCH. THE PLANTS.
Back to those of us who grew up in the woods on this one. If you’re like me, you’re probably used to crashing through the bush, breaking more than a couple branches on your way. If you’re in a temperate forest, that’s probably fine, in moderation, mind you.
But in the desert, everything grows slowly, and most of it is quite fragile. There just aren’t a lot of large animals naturally roaming around that plants had to adapt to, so they’re not great at withstanding force. Lighting, sometimes. You, no. Like the soil, they’re slow to grow and slow to recover. Add that to the fact that there are plenty of cacti around, and you’ve got a pretty compelling case for staying away from that bush.
5. MIND THE SANDSTONE
Sand stone is-you guessed it- kind of fragile. Most of it is fine to walk on, but some of it breaks apart more easily than you’d imagine (speaking from experience here). Good rule of thumb- if you can see/feel the grains of sand in the stone, it’s not going to hold your weight too well. And please, please, don’t try to break off some souvenirs or inscribe your eternal love on the inside of an arch. This place is for everyone, and it’s also a crime :).
6. LET THE WILDLIFE ROAM
Don’t chase the deer. Don’t chase the mountain goats. Don’t chase the cougars. It’s their home. Get excited, squeal, QUIETLY approach to the allowed distance (usually 100-150ft), and don’t corner the animals. If you find yourself amidst a herd of deer (look, I get distracted by photography sometimes), just stay where you are and enjoy your luck.
7. CARRY IN, CARRY OUT. (NOTHING BIODEGRADES HERE)
You’re a good person. You know the leave no trace rule. You’d never dream of littering. Right? Good. Unfortunately, you have to take it an *ahem* extra step in the desert.
Yeah, I’m talking about poo. Remember how the desert moves slowly? That goes for biodegrading stuff too. In the woods you can dig a hole, do your business, cover it up, and be on your merry way. In the desert, you’ve got to do your business in a bag. (Don’t worry the NPS has special poop bags for desert backpacking, we’re not sending you into this with a zip-lock). Think you can get around this? Good luck. The evidence can take decades to disappear. That’s right. I said decades.
But hey! Good news again! Our kind friends at the NPS have made sure there are plenty of facilities around the parks to relieve yourself. So unless you’re going to be gone for a really long day hike, or overnight, you shouldn’t have to worry about this one.
8. PUT THE STICK DOWN. AND THE ROCK, AND WHATEVER ELSE YOU THINK IS OKAY TO PICK UP.
Here’s a fun story for you all: when my sister and I were 11 and 13 my family visited half a dozen national parks in the American west. And being the little overachievers we were, we insisted upon earning our junior ranger badges at every park.
Guess what they teach junior rangers? How to be good stewards of the environment. And what to do if you see someone who is not. So one evening we caught a young man taking a large stick back to his car. We took down the license plate and reported him to the park staff, and they caught him. The fine is several hundred dollars. Moral of the story: leave the stick where you found it and don’t underestimate junior rangers. We take our roles very seriously.
9. DON’T FEED THE WILDLIFE. ESPECIALLY THE SQUIRRELS.
You probably don’t even think of squirrels as wildlife, and fair enough. But they are, and they can deliver a NASTY bite. I know they’re cute, and I know they know how to beg, but please resist. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Zion National Park, (and you should totally go if you haven’t -link-) but the squirrels there are the size of hedgehogs and vicious as angry chihuahuas. You could suffer some serious injury.