Living Free

By Carolyn Rose

So if you're a regular reader of the Experience Green Blogs, you know that I recently wrote about a green vacation I was taking. Well today I returned from a four day camping excursion on Martha's Vineyard feeling free and refreshed. My family is not the type to go on all natural vacations living in the wilderness, so it was a nice change of pace for me being out and away from what I am used to.

Six friends and I set out earlier this week with sleeping bags in hand and duffel bags on our backs. We took a 45 minute ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard, where we took a shuttle to the one and only campground on the island. We arrived to find our 7-person tent already pitched--thanks to my friend's parents who were camping at the same place. All we had was a tent, a picnic table, and a place to build our fire.

For the next few days we lived sans electric light, heat or air conditioning, television, computers, etc. We even avoided using cars as much as possible by biking and walking, or taking public transportation if completely necessary. We sat around a campfire and cooked our meals on a small grill.

We went for walks around Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, laid in the sun, and rode the waves at South Beach. We observed and appreciated nature and did minimal harm to the world around us. We didn't send emails or text messages or pollute the ozone layer. We just had a nice time being outdoors.

I will definitely be taking more vacations like this one, because with a world filled with wireless this and turbo-speed that, it's nice to go back to a slow and natural way of life. While the present generation is being criticized for the way in which we live, it is reassuring to be able to say that I can live differently. I would encourage anyone to make his or her next vacation a greener one. You'll be doing a favor to the environment and also to yourself.