“Going Green”: Investigating Environmental Sustainability Practices in Camp Organizations across the United States

Abstract

Our study explored current environmental sustainability practices of U.S. camps as well as the motivations and barriers influencing integration of sustainable operational approaches. Using a web survey of camp organizations in Spring 2021, we identified participation in sustainable actions across five broad categories: waste management, sustainability education and communication, natural resource and wildlife conservation, energy and water consumption, and purchasing and procurement. Many camp organizations already engaged in sustainable practices—especially with respect to waste management and sustainability education—but almost all camps wanted to do more. Camp organizations placed higher priority on environmental and social motivations for sustainability than economic reasons. The largest perceived barrier to sustainability was inadequate financial and/or technological resources, though lack of awareness and capacity-building assistance were also constraints. Results highlight strong interest in sustainability across the camp industry and reveal multiple ways to realize that potential.