Naturalist Ethic

The naturalist ethic supports the idea that one should hew as close to nature as possible when in its deep and confounding bosom. As it applies to camping, it's hte idea that you should leave behind the conveniences and distractions of the modern world when you go out into the wilderness. You won't find many campers that will leave behind the modern miracles of Gore-Tex, synthetic tents and flashlights behind, but you won't find many that will miss their Blackberries.

When you are deciding to go on a camping trip, come to an agreement with your partners as to what level of technology it's acceptable to bring. If you're traveling in avalanche prone areas, it would skirt close to irresponsibility not to bring transponders with you in case your party gets buried in mountain material. On the other hand, bringing a laptop and a few spare batteries would sort of defeat the purpose of getting away from it all. Likewise, a boombox could either liven up the atmosphere of a morning cook-out or completely ruin it.

Part of the joy of getting into the wilderness is the glorious silence. Particularly for urbanites, the silence that you become enveloped in when you're out in the wild has almost magical qualities. It allows you to focus on your inner self rather than become constantly distracted by the human noise surrounding you. This silence is a national treasure. Disrupting it could annoy your fellow campers, even if you think that they can't hear it. In the great silence of the outdoors, sound travels a long way. Be considerate when you're on walkabout.