3 Ways to Care for the Places You Love

Is there a special outdoor place that you love? A place you can go to connect with nature, or to escape the hustle of everyday life? Maybe it’s a park down the street, a community garden, or maybe just an empty lot with birds and trees that you walk past on your way to work or school. These spaces, however big or small, are important for your mental health and well being, and for the plants and animals that live in the area. We want to help make sure these spaces remain cared for. Here are 3 ways you can care for the places you love.

1. Give Back One of the best ways you can care for the places you love is by seeking out volunteer opportunities in your local area. A great way to start is to find out who manages the space. Is it a city park? County Park? Private property? Are there organizations or non-profits associated with the space? Learn more about volunteer opportunities in your area by reaching out to local organizations to join a service project, or organize a trash cleanup! Don’t have time to volunteer? Consider donating to the group or organization that cares for your favorite place! Every little bit helps. 

2.Reduce Single Use ItemsIn many areas, litter in the places we love can be a problem, but trash clean-ups alone aren’t going to fix it. Reducing the amount of litter we create begins with a shift in the way we think about and use single-use, throwaway items. This can start at home with our everyday routines. A great way to start is by conducting a home waste audit. Keep track of everything you throw away for one week. Observe what types of single use items you are buying and consuming, and seek alternative items you can use to reduce the amount of waste you produce. The more single-use items we work to eliminate as a  community, the less likely they are to end up in our favorite outdoor places.

3.Learn How to Make the Places You Love Safer for EveryoneBe kind and thoughtful to others and give each other the benefit of the doubt. With great Leave No Trace Education comes great responsibility. Leave No Trace should never be weaponized or used to police people in the outdoors. Learn what you can do to make the places you love feel welcoming and inclusive to all. A smile and a wave can go a long way when passing someone on the sidewalk or trail. A friendly conversation about a nature moment you witnessed can turn someone’s day around. Everyone comes to the outdoors with different life experiences, background and knowledge which is a beautiful thing. The more people that care for the places that you love, the better protected they will be.

Enjoy Your World. Leave No Trace.

By the Subaru/Leave No Trace Teams. For over 20 years these teams have provided tangible solutions to serious issues facing our outside space and reach over 15 million people every year. Learn more about the important work of our mobile education teams.  Proud partners of this program include Subaru of America, REI, Eagles Nest Outfitters, Thule, Fjällräven and Klean Kanteen.