With most camps trying to lessen their carbon footprint today, parents seeking a ‘Green’ camp experience for their child can add these questions to their research to find the best camp fit for their kids, says Jill Tipograph, Founder of Everything Summer LLC (www.everythingsummer.com), the ‘go to’ expert and resource for all things camp and summer for kids and teens:

 How To Find a ‘Green’ Camp

1.      Look for paperless information: Green camps make their first impressions with little or no usage of paper in their marketing materials. Whether they add a post-note to their communications to ask readers to think before printing, point those seeking more information to a website or blog, include a ‘Green’ page on their website, send a simple marketing piece reflecting their stance on recycling, and/or offer only online applications, camps illustrate they walk their talk of being environmentally aware.

2.      Seek out camps that make Green living an integral part of the experience: This includes the use of green practices at camp (e.g. recycling, composting, etc.), energy conservation, building facilities that incorporate sustainable green design, use of solar panels to heat pools, using organic and/or locally produced foods, providing leftover food to a nearby animal farm, and more.

3.      What Green practices does the camp incorporate into its programming? This could include for staff and campers: creating ecological service projects, “Leave no Trace” wilderness camping, farming, organic gardening, animals, cooking, sustainable development and environmental studies, resource recycling and conservation.

4.      Have Green teens? They too can find Green summer experiences: Seek out those offering environmental leadership programs, a focus on Green careers, adventure trips that detail their Green curriculum and efforts, and others.