Campgrounds Across America Are Going Green!

ARVC, The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds, is asking its’member campgrounds to take a pledge to operate a greener business. Many of the member campgrounds will take this pledge and become “greener” campgrounds. The campgrounds meeting these requirements will get a “Plan-it Green” logo on their listing at www.gocampingamerica.com

In the pledge, ARVC requests that campgrounds meet certain criteria to get that logo attached to their listing. According to Tim Chilson, owner of Brookdale Family Campground in Meadville, he believes that many campgrounds will be working to get that logo because it represents being good stewards to the earth. “At Brookdale, we’re proud to say that being green isn’t a new thing for us. We’ve had an aluminum recycling system in place for the entire 9 years we’ve operated the park. We do not buy, sell nor do we stock any chemical treatments for RV waste systems that contain Formaldehyde, and we’re taking steps to conserve energy and implement more eco-friendly systems as we upgrade existing facilities and plan for new ones,” Chilson said. He added, “The dedication to the environment doesn’t stop there. My wife and I made a major investment in a project last year to upgrade our sewage disposal system.”

Brookdale Family Campground in Meadville PA produces a “Ducky News” publication that is handed out to all the RVer’s on each weekend throughout the camping season. That publication, along with the campground’s campsite map and rules, reminds campers and RVers to respect nature, to use non-toxic biological tank treatments, to recycle their aluminum cans, to properly dispose of liter, to keep tires inflated to the proper levels to conserve fuel usage, and to conserve water, energy and other natural resources during their stay. In April 2008, they published a blog on going green for RVers. In the next blog, we’ll discuss ways for RVers to be greener again!

“We pride ourselves on not only trying to be good stewards to the earth ourselves, but on trying to educate and encourage our guests to help us in that effort,” Chilson said. “Our campers are great people, who care about the earth enough to recycle, to remove bird feeders when bears visit our park, and to help us maintain a clean park by properly disposing of liter which protects animals that refuse might attract or injure, and by conserving water and energy. It’s been our experience that campers and RVers care about the earth and the animals, because they are outside enjoying nature when they camp and RV.”

RVing vacations are a greener way to vacation, too. A recent study released by PKF Consulting shows that the carbon footprint from an RV vacation is roughly 50% of the footprint from an air/car/hotel vacation. Not only is RVing fun but is better for our environment than other forms of vacationing. So when you take your next camping or RVing vacation, you’ll know that not only are you a good steward to the earth, the place your camping or RVing, is too! The full PKF study may be viewed at www.gorving.com.

By Robyn Chilson

Robyn & her husband Tim, Own and operate Brookdale Family Campground in Meadville, PA. She can be reached at robyn@brookdalecampground.com or at 814-789-3251