There has been an evident change in the amount of people willing to go outdoors and spend some quality time with friends and family in the lap of nature. There are more people willing to go outdoors and seek the wilderness. However, this change also brings various issues at the forefront such as litter and environmental damage.

There are individuals who litter the environment and increase the overall count of non-sustainable materials which is not good for the environment. This in turn affects the carbon footprint which is brought about by the non-renewable energy and excess use of transport. 

There have been various campaigns which have tried to encourage the sensible and minimal use of resources and act responsibly. Campaigns such as Responsible Tourism Campaign and Keep Britain Tidy are some of them. One of the easy references to look at is the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. 

Camping responsibly: Camping video

There is a new campaign by Cycling UK and OS Maps which encourages people to travel outdoors responsibly. They have launched a film which makes the people camp responsibly. 

The film features Vedangi Kulkarni, a young woman who travels solo around the world. The video advises the next campers, or would-be wild campers to leave the countryside as they found it. The video showcases various tips including how to go to the toilet without leaving any litter, as well as picking up your own and other people’s rubbish. Both the organisations aim to provide people awareness and skills to leave the countryside better than when they found it. 

Vedangi, the solo traveller, has said, “One of the worst stories from the past years have been people coming to one of the most beautiful locations and having a wonderfully spent night and then leaving it with a completely distraught sight.”

Vedangi continued saying that with this short film, we would be able to educate many people and ensure that people coming outdoors leave no trace when they come back from the beautiful places. 

Join In

A part of the wider series, this video is shared with the public with the yearlong cycling and camping challenge. This challenge is #12nightsoutin 1 year. While cycling, the entrants are encouraged to head with their bikes and experience a night beneath the stars, in a tent, a hammock and photograph their experience in a year. They can go out every month or in a few weeks to do the same.

Every month, the participants posted pictures and experience through Instagram hash tag #12nightsoutin 1 year and entered automatically into a competition which would let them win a range of cycles and navigation related prizes. 

Sam Jones, the cycling UK’s Cape Wrath Fellowship custodian, used to camp out at least once a month for the last two and a half years. He wants to see everyone make the most of wilderness and discover it in a far better condition from when they found it. He said: “The outdoors is there for everyone to enjoy while running, walking, and riding. With such a positive attempt at travelling responsibly, there comes various aspects which we need to look at. 

Nick Giles, the managing director of Ordnance Survey Leisure, said: “Anyone who gets out of their bikes around the beautiful hills and moors must remember to leave it just like the way they found it.

We should be kind to the environment and never leave behind anything else except our footprints.