Single-use coffee cups, their environmental impact & sustainable alternatives As our lives are speeding up and our schedules are becoming more hectic, more and more of us rely on takeaway for our morning dose of caffeine. You may not think too much about the environmental impact of the morning cup of coffee you take to-go. However, the packaging this hot drink comes in – single-use coffee cups – is a surprising environmental threat many of us don’t know about. Collectively, we use 16 billion single-use coffee cups every year. Although companies are increasingly turning away from Styrofoam cups, opting to use paper single-use coffee cups instead, even those add up to a lot of environmental damage. The environmental impact of manufacturing single-use coffee cups Let’s take a closer look at the resources it takes to produce the 16 billion single-use coffee cups we consume every year. Altogether, this adds up to 6.5 million trees cut down, 4 billion gallons of wasted water and enough energy to power 54,000 homes for a year! If you’re having a coffee to-go every workday, you’re adding a lot to your overall environmental footprint just by using single-use coffee cups rather than more sustainable alternatives with a lower environmental impact. Single-use coffee cups are rarely recycled To make the paper cup waterproof, as well as aiding with retaining heat, manufacturers add a layer of polyethylene plastic to the inside of the cup. While this layer serves its purpose, it also makes the cup very difficult to recycle. Although some coffee shops offer collection services, to take these cups to recycling facilities which can separate the two layers, most takeaway coffee cups end up in general waste anyway. Additionally, the need to separate the two layers makes the recycling process more energy-intensive, increasing its carbon footprint. It is also expensive, which means that sometimes, even cups sorted for recycling end up in the landfill – because recycling facilities are still businesses, after all. You may also be participating in something called ‘wishful recycling’ – throwing a single-use coffee cup with a layer of polyethylene into the paper recycling bin, in the hopes that it will somehow get recycled, nevertheless. While this may make us feel a little better about our own environmental impact, in reality, this is much worse than throwing the cup in general recycling. If the cup is not sorted out before the materials are recycled, it can contaminate the whole batch of paper with plastic, making it unrecyclable. Coffee with a side of microplastics The polypropylene layer in your single-use coffee cup doesn’t just make it difficult to recycle – recent studies also show that the plastic layer is likely leaching microscopic plastic particles (microplastics) into your cuppa. Although many of the effects of microplastics on human health remain to be researched, you can likely imagine that polypropylene doesn’t sound like a part of a healthy diet. Coffee cup lids It’s not just the cup itself that has an impact on the environment – we also need to think about the lid. These are typically made from polypropylene or polystyrene. While polypropylene can technically be recycled, it’s often too costly to be profitable, which results in the material being sent to landfill instead. Polystyrene, on the other hand, can’t even be recycled to begin with. Additionally, some brands such as Starbucks may be curbing plastic straws, while swapping them for sippy cup lids. Although Starbucks may be labelling this change an ‘environmental milestone’, critics were quick to point out that this is nothing but greenwashing, as the new sippy cups add more plastic to the packaging than a straw would! Why the paper sleeve? You may also notice that many coffee shops use paper sleeves for the single-use coffee cups, as a way to make cups more comfortable to hold. In fact, these sleeves were introduced as a more sustainable alternative to shops using two cups for one drink for better insulation. Even though this sleeve is often made with recycled content, and are one of the less harmful parts of single-use coffee cups, they still add to the environmental impact as they consume resources and produce waste. How to reduce your impact? Picking up some new, easy habits when it comes to having your morning coffee can significantly reduce your environmental impact. Here are some of the things you may want to do: 1.Invest in a reusable cup Nowadays, there are plenty of sustainable alternatives to single-use coffee cups to choose from. These will help reduce the amount of waste you’re sending to landfill, as well as the amount of resources needed to produce the cup. 2. Skip the accessories When you can’t avoid buying coffee in a single-use cup, avoid the lids, straws and sleeves. While the cup itself is still adding to your environmental impact, you’re eliminating the impact of accessories. 3. Press for plastic bans Lastly, it’s important to support any single-use plastic bans on the governmental level, which would help reduce not just your impact, but the impact of humanity as a whole.

We inspire others to get outside using responsibly-made products that improve their adventures while protecting the wild places they love. We recognize that people want to experience adventure stories through unique lenses that match who they are or aspire to be. Through stories and media, we inspire and inform outdoor interested individuals that match who they are. People want to get outside, but many have limited training or knowledge of the norms of the outdoors and its preservation. We promote education and training to safely be outdoors. This includes partnering, financially supporting, and promoting other outdoor non-profit organizations. people need guidance on the tools and equipment needed to enjoy their wilderness adventures. Many outdoor magazines that have equipment reviews are already speaking to their community instead of talking to those not currently heavy outdoor equipment users. Without talking down to people we strive to guide people as to which gear will help them create their own stories and improved experiences. Our people are conscious consumers looking to lighten their footprint as they go on this journey. We pay our workers and partner factories fair wages while responsibly making products that are built to last. The purchase of these thoughtful objects allows us to support and promote environmental non-profits that work to preserve the places our consumers love. Come with us on this journey... Photo by Sparsh Karki from Pexels

Introduction to the Owners of of The Wild Dirt Dennis Fiore and I, Alexander Kwapis, first met on our Boy Scouts of America Order of the Arrow Ordeal campout when we were kids. Over the years we have planned and led everything from backpacking trips, multi-day canoe outings, winter camping explorations, and international adventures. We have led everything from large groups all the way down to our own solo trips into the wild. We have taught others about outdoor ethics, food preparation, trip planning, compass work, and many more outdoor-related skills over the years and we want to share our knowledge to all of you. We are continual wilderness learners ourselves and have taken courses and certifications on a variety of topics from wilderness first aid, Leave No Trace trainer, PADI certification, and Opik winter camping. We don’t just spend time bettering ourselves in the wilderness we also find the importance of community, giving back, and supporting others to better us all. Through our adventures together and apart Dennis and I have worked to support others, bring people outside to explore nature, and leave it better than the way it was before we got there. The Wild Dirt was designed in nature, brought about through a passion to educate, protect, and explore the outdoors.

With its incredible range of precipitation and elevation, diversity is the hallmark of Olympic National Park. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park protects a vast wilderness, thousands of years of human history, and several distinctly different ecosystems, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rain forests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline.

On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park for all to enjoy the unique hydrothermal and geologic wonders. From their energetic sounds and interesting aromas, mudpots and fumaroles provide some of the richest experiences for the senses.

Last Fall, I visited the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. It was absolutely amazing! I entered through the NorthEast gates by the Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden. Wandering South through a very tropical lust pathway, I spotted a very busy Horticulturist. I asked for a quick picture, being that he looked the part. Standing in the middle of many winding rows of orange & red flowers and more green layers than can be described, he said that this was his favorite part of the Arboretum. I shot some amazing video that I will edit soon to add to our site. I followed him on his pre-lunch routine, through plentiful water features, shady spots to relieve yourself from Texas sun, and breathtaking arrangements of flowering Trees in bloom. I picked a great time to visit… Don’t just take my word for it! “I’ve been to many, many botanical gardens in the world, and I think yours is one of the most beautiful and colorful that I’ve seen. It’s extraordinary. The enjoyment that it engenders in so many people is quite amazing. ~Martha Stewart” Lol. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden @dallasarboretum

Ready for a quick weekend trip? This bag will fit everything you need and help you check off all of the items. We are working on a custom luggage tag to helps your travels and reminds you of the essentials. Stay Tuned…

Cape Flattery – The northwestern-most point of the contiguous United States. We are currently discussing with the Makah Tribe the means to donate online and help facilitate in-person monetary & goods donations. We had an amazing adventure around the entire Olympic Peninsula last summer. Truly looking forward to visiting our nation’s nature again soon… Cape Flattery is on the Makah Reservation. It is an Indian reservation of the Makah Native Americans. There where many visitors, hikers, families, and photographers present during our visit. I miss seeing others enjoy the earth’s wonders, in person! Video By Dennis Fiore Music cover by Mike List Bowed Vibraphone Harmony I (Cookfield -James Lyon) – John Cage From 44 Harmonies from Apartment House 1776 @Makah Cultural and Research Center – https://makah.com/

Clear Water Action has begun advocating for the Transportation Climate Initiative. “The Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) is a regional collaboration of 12 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia that seeks to improve transportation, develop the clean energy economy and reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector.” 1 The Wild Dirt’s co-founder Dennis Fiore has worked with Clear Water Action in Michigan in the Past. He helped develop a recycling program on Wayne State University’s campus & within its residence halls. We are excited to continue utilizing Clear Water Action’s resources and help aid their Initiatives! If you have to time to review Clear Water Action and some posts, please visit their blog site . Additionally, their article is a great source for cited studies involving COVID-19. Sources [1] https://www.transportationandclimate.org/content/about-us [2] Hulick, Anne. “Cleaning Up Our Air By Cleaning Transportation” Clean Water Action | Blog , https://www.cleanwateraction.org/2020/05/11/cleaning-our-air-cleaning-transportation

As a tribute to the women in our lives and our appreciation of WOMEN Pride, we are creating our first hoodie for Women & Girls Only. Mamabear tested, Nursing friendly, and genuinely gorgeous flowing design. Venus. Purpose: Super soft Comfy Hoodie for every campout or lounge situation

If you’ve gone camping at a state or national park anytime in the last twenty-plus years, I am sure you have seen or heard the words Leave No Trace (LNT). What you might not know is all the other things that the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics provides. They are a resource for proven research, education, and protection of the outdoors. Nine out of ten people who visit the wilderness are uninformed about minimizing their impact on the land. I first experienced Leave No Trace shortly after joining the Boy Scouts. I care so deeply about the wild places we visit that I took an LNT Trainer course. The trainer course was a two-day program that is a condensed version of their Master Educator Course. It was not only an in-depth course on the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace, but it always gave me skills on educating others on ways to reduce our impact on the natural world around us. With that knowledge, I became a leader to anyone that would listen on the ways of the Leave No Trace. When I go backpacking, I still carry these plastic LNT tags that describe the principles, and I will give them away to those I meet on the trail as a gesture for them to also take care of the places we are visiting. Seven Principles of Leave No Trace plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife , be considerate of other visitors. I’m recommitting to my knowledge of the LNT Principles by taking their Online Awareness Course . The training will freshen me up on ways to better understand recreation-related impacts, the Seven Principles, and how LNT skills and ethics protect the wild places I visit. Here is a breakdown of what the course covers: Learn why Leave No Trace is an important program that protects the environment. Be able to identify ways you can apply the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace. Learn how Leave No Trace addresses issues in your region so that you may take action to minimize the impact, where you are. Learn how the mission and approach of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics (The Center) helps to promote people to responsibly enjoy the outdoors. Recognize the different educational programs offered by the Center to find out the best way to get involved with the Leave No Trace program. The natural world is facing severe threats. Making sure people know and practice Leave No Trace is critical, so we all can enjoy these places today and in the future.

By Alexander Kwapis A safe and straightforward way to relax in the outdoors is in a hammock. Find a little tree-filled lot away from people and relax all afternoon. The guys at WildDirt love hammocking, with each having a few. In a short series, they will share a few of their favorites. First up is Alexander’s Kammok hammock camping set up. #block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590761967254_103791 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid { margin-right: -25px; } #block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590761967254_103791 .sqs-gallery-block-grid .sqs-gallery-design-grid-slide .margin-wrapper { margin-right: 25px; margin-bottom: 25px; } “This is my goto setup for hammock camping,” says Alexander. He goes on to say, “I have a Kammok Roo Double hammock, Kammok Python 10 straps, Kammok Kuhli tarp, and the Kammok Dragonfly bug net. What I love about the Roo Double is its shape and lightness vs. durability. It is constructed so that the sides don’t cut into your legs like other hammocks when you are using it as a chair. For someone big and tall like myself, its roomy still when sleeping on a diagonal. The webbing at each end of the hammock has built-in carabiners to make setup painless. As I mentioned, I pair my hammock with Kammok’s Python 10 tree saving straps for wrapping around the tree and supporting the hammock. I find these to be the perfect length and love the series of twenty flat daisy chains. For camping, I pair this setup with the Kulhi weather shelter. The tarp has ten guy points so you can make the tarp as tight as a drum and won’t blow away during inclement weather. I found that the ends of my guylines needed a little love, so I fused the ends of the ropes to keep them from unsheathing. The tarp also came with five stakes, but if you were paying attention, there are ten guylines, so you’ll need to get yourself five more stakes. The Kuhli tarp is DWR, and Sil/PU coated as well as seam-sealed for outstanding waterproofness. Overall, this is not just an excellent tarp for hammocking, but you can also use it as a sunshade on a hiking trip or use it as a group rain tarp on a backpacking trip. Lastly, on the Kammok set up, I have the Dragonfly bug net. With quick setup straps and invisible mesh, this lightweight bug net is a no brainer. For when its chilly out, I picked up an inexpensive polyester bottom quilt to keep your underside toasty. It really does do a good job, and you can feel the difference when the quilt isn’t there. For camping, I toss on top the Thermarest Corus™ HD Quilt and sleep like a king.” #backpacking #camping #hammock #hammockcamping