How to Poop in Nature

Weve all been there.

And when you gotta go, you gotta go.

Its a topic most people hate to talk about, butas that iconic childrens booktaught us, everyone poops.

So what should you do when you have to, but you are in an area without a toilet?

That means carrying it home, doggy bag stylebut well talk more about the procedure below.

But the reason is because the soil is too fragile for that stuff to decompose.

But its also just gross, right?

No one else wants to see that.

If youre not sure, look up regulations before you visitand certainly before you leave anything behind.

(Always a good thing, right?)

Always be prepared

Pooping in nature isnt as easy asperfecting your squat.Youll need supplies, too.

At a minimum, youll want to have a small trowel and hand sanitizer.

Other popular options for women are standing female urination devices (FUDs) like thePeePocket,LadyP, andGoGirl.

Just see to it you practice before you gothey can take some getting used to.

(Trust me on this one!)

Wherever you are, take a walk before you begin.

200 feetor about 70 big stepsis a good start when going to the bathroom outside.

(And also to keep from mooning everyone around you.)

Its not always possible, so we just encourage people to do the best they can, says Lawhon.

You want to think about the biophysical impacts in the landscape, but then the social component, too.

The best spot is one that isnt used often by other people.

Look for rocky areas or patches of bare soil, rather than disturbing existing plants or grassy areas.

You cant just doggie bag it and throw it in the trash, says Overall.

Not onlyis it illegalto throw human waste into a landfill, its unsanitary.

If you use one of these, you might freely throw it away in the trash.

For most people, doing your business in the woods is decidedly outside your comfort zone.

Even if youre not ready for a W.A.G.

Doing something to minimize the impact of the human race is better than doing nothing at all.