Earth Camp Commitment

I am a runner, a hiker, a backpacker, and a basketball player. I play high school sports every season as well as summer leagues all summer long. When I’m running late for practice, the easiest thing to do is to grab a plastic water bottle out of the fridge as you run out the door. It’s already cold and it takes no preparation. The only problem is that every time I use a plastic water bottle, I’m creating trash that is difficult to recycle and harmful to our environment. After using  reusable water bottle for two weeks during earth camp, I’ve decided to make my earth camp commitment to not use plastic water bottles anymore.

The first thing that got me thinking about plastic water bottles was the movie we watched about trash on day one of camp. I saw picture after picture after picture of lakes, rivers, and ponds filled with plastic water bottles that had been thrown there. Those images were so ugly, not at all what nature is supposed to be like. This was when I first got the idea of not using plastic water bottles anymore. The other thing that made me want to reduce my amout of trash was using the “5 bucket system” at camp. Not being able to use public trash cans was a real eye opener that showed me how much trash I really produce. The thing that really convinced me was that we used reusable water bottles for all of camp, and so although it will be a little extra work, it’s a small enough change that I’ll be able to actually follow through with it. 

The first thing I am going to do is inventory all of our families reusable water bottles; I’ll match lids and throw away ones that are broken. Then, I’ll always have one water bottle with me and an extra one in the fridge. These will be marked with my name so that nobody else uses them. I’ll also talk to my dad about not buying anymore plastic water bottles, so that the temptation isn’t even there anymore. My brother is also making this his commitment, so we can keep each other in line.

I am the second oldest of seven children, and if there is one thing that I have learned from being a big sister, it’s that people watch you.  If they like what you’re doing, they follow your example. Because I will have already gone through all of my family’s water bottles to make sure that they all work, hopefully it will be easy for them to use reusable water bottles as well. By using reusable water bottles myself, others will do the same and the ripple effect of creating less trash will be in motion.

To remind me to use only reusable water bottles I will use my earth camp water bottle!

Questions & Answers

What did you think camp would be like and did it turn out that way or differently?

For the most part, camp was exactly what I though it would be like. We did lots of hikes, we saw beautiful landscapes, and we learned a lot about water. I learned about debris flows, hydraulic jumps, eddies, desert varnish, and all the different plants along the river. The one thing that I didn’t anticipate was the amount of history that I would learn. From ancient Native Americans to pioneers and outlaws, the canyon walls are full of evidence of people who once inhabited the river. It was amazing to me to try and comprehend life on the river, hundreds and even thousands of years ago. After contemplating this, however, I have come to realize that the people who came before me are not so different from me.

What was your favorite activity and why?

My favorite part of the entire trip was when a small group of us found petroglyphs in a little cave in three canyons. The petroglyphs that we found weren’t recorded in Lynn’s book of petroglyphs along the Green River. Even though somebody may have seen it before us, finding it ourselves made the whole experience more personal and exciting. I also loved going though the rapids with our river guides, because we hit huge waves and it was very exciting!

What did we do at camp that impressed you the most and why?

I am very impressed that we actually used the “5 bucket system” for the entire camp! I was pretty convinced that the staff would crack around day 4, because the bucket system is inconvenient, a lot of work, and stinky. This shows that our staff is committed to helping us learn, even when it’s no fun for them.

Who inspired you the most during camp?

The river guides inspired me the most at camp. They were incredibly strong, hard workers, fantastic cooks, and just fun people to be around. I especially admired how they always seemed to be having a good time, no matter what the situation was. They were good friends with each other and with us. Finally, you could tell that they had a special love for the river, which made you love the river too. 

Tell me about a time at camp when you saw someone else demonstrate great leadership qualities. What did they do?

Sanlyn, the "resident nurse", showed incredible leadership during camp. I can’t even express how many times people came up to her and asked her to help them or fix them. Not once did I ever hear her complain or even lose her temper. She didn’t make a big deal about her job, she just quietly and patiently did what she was supposed to. That, to me, is an example of a good leader.