Van life comes with some unavoidable environmental impacts, but these sustainable van life hacks will help you reduce your footprint  as much as possible (and save you some money) while living on the road.

Protecting the environment is deeply important to us as van lifers. Public lands and wild places are often the best (or only) options for overnight parking in a van, and we want to make sure these spaces are accessible to everyone and anyone to enjoy for years to come. We are always trying to learn new ways to reduce our impact at DM Vans. We have a “Sustainability Cohort,” which is a group of employees who are passionate about the environment and are in charge of researching and implementing sustainability initiatives at our HQ. For Earth Day, this cohort put together a list of 8 sustainability hacks that will help you decrease your impact while living in a van. Though living on the road comes with unavoidable carbon emissions (until we can get our hands on an electric van), these tips and tricks will help you reduce your footprint as much as possible.

(P.S. Scroll to the bottom to watch our Sustainable Van Life YouTube video and see sustainability tips from our followers!)

This one is a biggie. When you have limited water and space, it’s easy to get lazy and resort to disposable storage containers, cutlery and dishes. We’ve all been there, exhausted at the end of a long day of work or driving and dreading the thought of doing dishes. We’ve all forgotten our grocery bags, only to realize when we’ve hit the front of the checkout line. We’ve all stored food in ziplock bags and single use takeout containers because, let’s face it, tupperwares can be really hard to clean. Try your best to avoid slipping into these habits, no matter how convenient they may seem in the moment.

Instead, make it a habit to replace as much single use plastic as possible with reusable alternatives. Hold onto reusable bags, tupperware, cutlery, straws, etc. that might come in handy. If you end up with a piece of single use plastic, try to think of a creative way to reuse it. Once it’s truly at the end of its lifespan, recycle it if possible.

This one not only saves on single use packaging, but can also save you money! Many grocery stores now have bulk bin sections where you can sustainably refill essential grocery and pantry items. Often bulk bin pricing is also more wallet friendly than buying something pre-packaged. Invest in reusable containers such as mason jars for your essential pantry items and bring them in to fill. (Bonus: mason jars full of oats and nuts and dried fruit double as van decor, if you’re into that kind of aesthetic.)

We’re also a big fan of stores like Fill & Refill (right here in the Vail Valley!) where you can refill household products, cleaning essentials, and personal hygiene products. Do a little digging in your area to see if you have refill stores for these items in addition to your pantry essentials.

Every Dave & Matt Van comes equipped with one 160W solar panel and you can opt to add more panels based on your energy needs. These panels generate electricity through direct sunlight and that energy is routed directly into your house battery through the included Bluetooth solar charge controller. This allows you to power your lights, fan, fridge, electronics, and appliances with energy that is both sustainable and good for your wallet. If you don’t have a Dave & Matt Van, look into solar for the rig you drive if you haven’t already. Solar is worth the investment not only for its environmental benefits but also for the ability to charge your house battery without running your van’s engine. This ensures you’re powered up and ready to go at any time.

Globally, livestock operations are responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, take up a third of the planet’s ice-free land surface, use 16% of global freshwater, and a third of the grain produced worldwide goes to feeding the 70 billion animals raised for human consumption. For the average American diet, beef consumption alone produces nearly 2,000 pounds of CO2 per year. Replacing beef with plant based protein can reduce that by 96% and uses less land area, water, and resources.

We aren’t saying everyone needs to go full vegan tomorrow. Meat and animal products make up a large part of the average American diet and carry cultural significance for certain groups of people. Reducing the environmental impact of your food doesn’t have to be all or nothing, vegan or bust. Eating animal products mindfully, choosing to replace a few meals per week with plant based alternatives, and buying from local farmers and ranchers instead of large factory farms are all great places to start. Plant based foods are also easier to store in your van, and often easier to cleanup after cooking.

One of the major draws to van life is minimalism. With limited storage space, everything we keep in the van is intentional. Van life lends itself to spending less, investing in quality pieces that will last, and finding creative new ways to use products you already own. The compact space means there is less opportunity for those random impulse purchases that put a strain on the wallet and often end up in landfills.

When we do need to buy something, we try to find it in thrift or consignment stores. Again, good for the environment and easy on the wallet. When we no longer have a use for something in the van, we donate it to those same stores. If we can’t find what we need used, we try to shop mindfully, looking for products that will last, are sustainably made, and come from brands that put in the work to be as sustainable and ethical as possible.

Driving is one of the larger pieces of the van life footprint. It comes with the lifestyle. One of the best parts of van life is the ability to pick up and go whenever you want, traveling to new places, meeting new people, and never leaving the comfort of home behind. It is important to stay mindful of these miles to reduce your carbon footprint.

Drive slow, even if the speed limit is high. Driving between 55 and 65 mph gives you the best fuel economy – any faster and consumption goes up significantly. Once again, good for the environment and good for your wallet. Increasing your fuel efficiency means you’ll be visiting the pump less often.

If you can, drive less. Be mindful of the time you spend in each new place, and intentional when you pack up and hit the road to a new destination. Stay a while and get to know the area better. Meet new people and take the time to relax and decompress before hitting the road to the next stop.

This one comes naturally with the van lifestyle. We find ourselves showering less and using less water to wash our dishes and clothes (check out our Van Life Hygiene post to learn how to stay fresh and clean on the road). Every Dave & Matt Van comes equipped with a 7 gallon fresh water tank and a 7 gallon grey water tank, which help you stay mindful of your water consumption. Another important aspect of van life water use is ensuring you dispose of grey water in an appropriate manner, either down a conventional toilet or an RV dumping station. Speaking of toilets, we offer two different portable toilets you can opt to add to your build. Our cassette toilet option uses very minimal water compared to conventional toilets, and our composting toilet option doesn’t use any water at all!

Many of us are familiar with the Leave No Trace guidelines, but it’s important to make sure you know all seven principles and follow them wherever you go. Following Leave No Trace protects the beautiful places we are so lucky to have the privilege of visiting, and following them closely as a van lifer makes you a good steward and ambassador for the community. Keep this list handy:

1) Plan Ahead and Prepare

Know the rules, regulations and special concerns for the areas you travel. If possible, schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.

2) Travel and Park on Durable Surfaces

Durable surfaces include maintained trails and roads and designated campsites, rock, gravel, sand, dry grasses or snow. Camp at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.

3) Dispose of Waste Properly

If you pack it in, pack it out. Utilize toilet facilities whenever possible. Make sure to dispose of your grey water appropriately.

4) Leave What You Find

Do not touch cultural or historic structures and artifacts. Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them. Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.

5) Minimize Campfire Impacts

Follow fire regulations and use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires. Keep fires small and make sure to extinguish them completely.

6) Respect Wildlife

Observe wildlife from a distance. Never feed animals. Be sure to store food and trash securely. Keep pets under control at all times.

7) Be Considerate of Other Visitors

Be courteous of other visitors and locals alike. Avoid loud voices and noises. Be good #vanlife ambassadors!

Learn more at LNT.org.

We are stoked to share what we have learned about sustainable van life with you all, but we are certainly not perfect and we are always striving to learn more and improve.  We love to hear tips and tricks our community has picked up along the way. On Earth Day we asked our followers to share what they do to live more sustainably, and got some great tips. Check out what they had to say below!

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Make sure to check out our Sustainable Van Life YouTube video and subscribe to our channel for more van life content!