# 212. Is Zero-Waste Backpacking Possible? with Alisha McDarris

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/outdoor-minimalist-4358789/212-is-zero-waste-backpacking-possible-with-alisha-mcdarris.md
Podcast: [Outdoor Minimalist](https://stenobird.com/podcast/outdoor-minimalist-4358789)
Published: 2026-02-23T09:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/outdoor-minimalist/episodes/212--Is-Zero-Waste-Backpacking-Possible--with-Alisha-McDarris-e3ffaem
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/6b0ea464/podcast/play/115894166/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-1-23%2F418622677-44100-2-e266aab24ef0f.m4a
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/outdoor-minimalist-4358789/episodes/212-is-zero-waste-backpacking-possible-with-alisha-mcdarris
Duration seconds: 2185

## Resource

Is zero-waste backpacking possible? Well, in a lot of ways, yes, and in some ways, not really. We saw this play out when a previous guest of ours, one of our earliest guests, actually in episode 37 . In that episode, Ana Lucía (aka Eco) explains how in 2021 she set out to complete a zero-waste thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Now, a few years later, in episode 212 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, I am sitting down with Alisha McDarris to discuss her experimental zero-waste backpacking trip challenge. Alisha is the founder of Terradrift.com and the site’s accompanying YouTube channel, where she and her husband Josh share gear reviews, outdoorsy how-tos, and guides, including a full video covering her zero-waste backcountry trip. She is also a freelance journalist, filmmaker, and photographer who specializes in writing about sustainable travel and outdoor adventure for publications like Popular Science, Backpacker, Outside, Roadtrippers, and more. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/outdoor.minimalist.book/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.theoutdoorminimalist.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theoutdoorminimalist Buy Me a Coffee: ⁠⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/outdoorminimalist⁠⁠⁠ Listener Survey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forms.gle/jd8UCN2LL3AQst976⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------------------ Terradrift Website: https://terradrift.com/zero-waste-backpacking-tips/ YouTube: https://youtu.be/4zirOxMnFk0?si=7n6nybE4ze06eHj0 Episode 37: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/outdo…

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