It’s true that hiking reduces stress, builds body strength, improves mood, etc. However, there is another, less well-known advantage to trekking. Hiking may increase our environmental awareness and connection in ways that use fewer resources and produce less pollution. As the world strategizes for a more sustainable future, you and your company can take immediate steps in that direction.
Here are four ways that hiking helps us become more environmentally conscious:
1. Hiking is Simple.
The nomadic archetype of easy living, doing more with less, is hiking. It’s about combining your belongings for many applications and not using or possessing more than you can carry. The majority of hikers just bring one towel, one set of hiking boots, one pan, one pot, one fork. Hiking is a means of learning and applying the principles of simple living. Applying these principles in business is part of the sustainability mindset. Use and reuse. Recycle where possible. Give back when you can. This is what hiking and sustainability are all about.
2. Hiking Promotes Natural Recycling
We naturally learn about recycling and the costs of not doing so when we hike more frequently.
If you use goods like gas cans or plastic water bottles, you must also bring all the empty ones with you. Whether it’s a weekend getaway, a climb up Everest, Treks in Nepal, or a hike along the Appalachian Trail, you must be aware of your supplies. The next hikers will be made even more aware of the issues with these single-use systems if you trash them on the path or leave them behind. They will pick up your used canisters, cans, or bottles to prevent further environmental contamination.
Businesses today face the same issues when it comes to supplies and waste. Hiking puts our feet on the ground and reminds us of the importance of responsible stewardship. It gives us hands-on experiences that help us remember that everyone and everything make a difference.
Many hikers just bring a modest number of supplies like shampoo, soap, and food. Refilling their supply of soap, water, and other items from sources along the way, they practice both how to consume less and how to reuse the same containers repeatedly. Thanks to modern stove systems, even your smartphone can be charged on small fallen twigs that you pick from the trails. Businesses worldwide can take sustainability lessons from hikers.
3. Hiking Equipment is Durable and Repairable.
On the trails, you need simple supplies that won’t break, are easy to fix, and last even when you’re far from fresh supplies. Green and sustainable designs are best. Therefore, there is much to gain by determining whether a new design will function on the hiking trails.
After a few days or weeks on the trails, many hikers develop this knowledge. It makes it easier for them to cut back on consumption and live more sustainably. It also makes it easier to do so once you return home. You will find that you will be less prone to try to consume your way out of problems. Therefore, instead of buying new stuff, you will be more competent and innovative in how you approach difficulties because you will have developed habits that allow you to see the future more clearly. What business wouldn’t benefit from being more sustainable, competent, and innovative?
4. Connecting to the Sky and the Trees
Many times, sustainability is defined as not doing, not buying, or not wasting. Hiking, however, paints another picture. Being outside is not just a way to conserve energy or something to do because your doctor says it’s good for you.
Just looking at the stars and realizing how far you can see beyond the nearest planets is therapy for the inner you. Being able to look around you at how much larger and farther reality extends in unrestricted and undeveloped places can change your perspective. As a result, it can give you a sense of wonder and awe that you can get in no other way. Maybe, if we can see the world differently, it will seem easier to make business decisions that will positively impact the future of our amazing planet. It’s worth a try!
