If living green is important to you, you may be wondering about the carbon footprint of owning an RV. The concept of an eco-friendly RV isn’t something that’s too hard to accomplish – despite how many might think there’s no way a large vehicle like that could be “green.”
Read on to learn about eco-friendly RV life and making your RV travels greener!
How Is an RV Eco-Friendly?
Being eco-friendly doesn’t mean being completely green. It means reducing usage of appliances and other devices that produce carbon. As an RVer, you’ll be able to do this easily! Why? Because even the biggest RV is smaller than a typical home – which means your base level of usage for everything from electricity to water and more will be a fraction of what they’d be at home.
It’s definitely true that you’ll be using gas or electricity to improve your comfort during your stay. But how much energy does it take to keep your RV properly heated or cooled versus your home? And your water supply isn’t infinite when you’re on the road – so you’re naturally more likely to conserve what you have with proper rationing and smart usage.
Even if being eco-friendly isn’t a major concern of yours, these facts can make you a bit greener in the wallet too. Especially if you consider the difference from vacationing in an RV versus a hotel!
Of course, for those of you who do want to take steps to make your RV a bit greener, here are some of the best tips we have:
Making an RV Even More Eco-Friendly
Solar Panels
When it comes to an eco-friendly RV, few upgrades are as helpful as solar panels. These are a great addition because not only do they make green RVing easier, they’re incredibly useful too! Renewable energy like solar panels makes use of existing energy sources, like the sun, to produce a surprising amount of electricity for your vehicle. This can be enough to keep your phones charged, power some light appliances and keep you comfortable when you’re too far from a hookup station or would prefer not to use it.
Solar technology has been quickly adopted into the RVing world, with many RVs coming off the lot ready to benefit from solar charging. But even your older RV can probably be upgraded to add solar panels and reap the benefits of this eco-friendly RV strategy.
Aftermarket Upgrades for Insulation & Lighting
Solar panels aren’t the only way to make your RV greener. Aftermarket upgrades are a popular way to get the most out of any RV, including eco-friendliness. The two easiest upgrades to make in this regard would be improving insulation and replacing lighting in older models.
Insulation
By taking the insulation of your vehicle to the next level, you can drastically reduce the energy needed to keep it at a comfortable and livable temperature. For eco-friendliness, this means reducing byproducts of using your heater or air conditioner. For you, it also means extending the potential range of electricity or gas your vehicle can store. That’s a win-win!
Replacing Lighting
Similarly, older RVs that still use incandescent or fluorescent bulbs can use an upgrade to LED lighting that has the same benefits of convenience for you and the environment. LEDs consume less power and produce the same or better-quality lighting. Lower emissions, longer battery life, and it’s one of the easiest upgrades you can make to your RV!
Plan Close Trips
One of the best ways to practice eco-friendly RVing is not to look at what your RV can do, but how you use it. Like any vehicle, burning fuel to travel great distances whether you drive a motorhome or use a tow vehicle is going to be seen as “not eco-friendly.” If you’re worried about how much gas you’re using, one of the best ways to avoid it is to take advantage of camping opportunities close to home!
Depending on where you live, this may or may not be a viable option. But a quick search for campgrounds near you might surprise you with how many results there are to be found. There are plenty of websites, from official government ones to private ones, that can provide a lot of information for planning your next trip. By sticking to a local site, you can reduce fuel emissions, fuel costs, and spend money on local businesses around your community!
Use Energy-Free Solutions
Lastly, it’s a good idea to remember that there are ways to stay comfortable and safe in or around your RV without running a generator or your battery:
RV Positioning
If you’re trying to stay cool, keep your RV oriented to reduce sunlight that can come through the windows. The less sun that comes through, the lower the general temperature will stay. On the flip side, if things are a bit chilly, you can do the opposite! Let the sun shine straight into your RV as much as possible and enjoy a few extra degrees of warmth during the day.
RV Skirting
Adding a skirt to your RV can help trap in lost heat to keep your RV warmer during cold days. While you may think this is a fall camping tip, it can make a big difference in early spring when the weather hasn’t decided if it’s ready to stop dropping to near-freezing temperatures occasionally.
Use a Cooler
If your camping trip is just going to be a weekend, you may be able to simply pour some ice in a large cooler to keep your perishables ready for the trip. Most well-made coolers can keep food and beverages chilly for up to two days with the appropriate amount of ice. This can let you keep your fridge off, which tends to be one of the larger single-appliance drains on electricity.
Contact RV Wholesale Superstore
The professionals at RV Wholesale Superstore are ready to help you find the perfect RV for you and your family. Visit us in-person at 5080 W. Alexis Road, in Sylvania, OH or call us at (419) 786-1126
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