Going Green With Sustainable RVs

What does it really mean to be "green"? In short, it's anything that respects our natural environment—from reducing harmful effects on our natural surroundings to using products which cause less damage to our world. One of the most common ways to go green is through using green RVs. RVers are generally pretty green to start with. They may travel great distances to get where they are going, but once they get there, they usually stick around a while to enjoy the sights. In comparing the monthly fuel consumption of the average RV with the monthly fuel consumption of the average commuter car, even with less fuel-efficient vehicles, the RVs are mere fuel sippers.

Nonetheless, there are a number of RVs available now that use new technologies to improve gas mileage and that lower fuel consumption even more. But if you're not quite ready to trade in your old RV for a new one, here are a few ideas to help you become a bit greener:

• Installing solar panels on your RV can save power on electrical hookups and/or generators.
   
• If solar power is too expensive, consider changing over your gas-powered generator to a propane system. Propane burns more cleanly, emits less carbon monoxide and converter kits are available from almost any RV part supply center.
   
• If you have a diesel generator, use bio-diesel to fuel it (be sure to check that this won't void your generator's warranty).
   
• Installing a propane catalytic heater is more efficient that old RV furnaces because they don't use any electricity to run the blower.
   
• Replace all incandescent light bulbs with LED lights. Recent developments have made LED lighting as good as incandescent bulbs, and with a fraction of the power draw.
   
• Use dishes you can wash and reuse. If you must use disposable products, paper will degrade in landfills much more efficiently than plastic.
   
• Don't use harmful chemicals to control odors in your septic holding tank. Instead, add a few cups of water softener and a cup of biodegradable laundry detergent to a gallon of water and flush it through the toilet. Do this each time you empty the tank.

Hopefully EnviroCitizen.org's suggestions for creating a more sustainable, green RV have been helpful to you.  If you are looking for other ways to increase the eco-friendly nature of your RV, do a bit more research or find another green RV enthusiast.  As with all things, the greener the RV the better!