Banana Peel Ethics

by Scott Looper

Here’s a question that has come up on several hikes I have been on, “Is it ok to toss my banana peel into the woods here along the trail?” Many argue that the banana peel is “organic” or “biodegradable,” and that it will not harm the environment, while others argue that the banana peel is “litter” and should not be left behind. Before we delve any further into this matter I should admit that I too have tossed a banana peel or two into the woods, so I am guilty of the crime I am about to describe. It’s hard to imagine that a banana peel here or there would really do any harm to the environment. But as I have thought about it a little and studied the question more in depth, I have found many more reasons not to toss that banana peel along the trail.

One of the age-old maxims we’ve all heard goes, “if you pack it in, you pack it out.” And we’ve all been told to “leave no trace.” And another old saying goes, “leave only footprints, take only pictures.” It seems to make perfect sense. We should leave the trail and our campsites in such a condition that no one would know we were ever there. It’s a matter of conservation, preservation and respect for the land and for those that come down the trail tomorrow and the next day. We’ve all seen far too many examples of folks that did not adhere to these practices. Trash left along the trail and at campsites by thoughtless individuals make our hearts sad and our tempers flare. Much of this litter is not “organic” and will be there for years to come.

“But Scott, we’re talking about a banana peel here. It’s going to decompose!” The best I can determine is that a banana peel, under good conditions, can take from 3 to 5 weeks to decompose. About a month. Not long. But as Ron Adkison writes in Utah’s National Parks, “… all trail trash should be packed out, orange and banana peels will not decompose in the arid environment.” And this admonition from Tim Homan, author of The Hiking Trails of North Georgia -

“Don’t litter… Organic scraps are definitely litter. No one wants to see your orange peels or peanut hulls. And no one enjoys a campsite compost pile crowned with eggshells. Either burn it or carry it out. No backsliding.”

We should be seeing great vistas, mountains, waterfalls, not the trash others have discarded – organic or otherwise. How disheartening it would be to walk up on some rotting fruit peelings that someone had left behind.

“But Scott, I’m going to toss the banana peel into the brush, no one will ever see it!” No one that is except the ants, chipmunks, squirrels, rats, foxes, coyotes, bobcats and bears. Remember what we’ve heard for years, “Don’t feed the animals!” A study was done a long time ago in Yellowstone where the droppings of coyotes were found to contain “…twine, paper, leather, banana peel, orange peel and rubber.” The point is that banana peel is not a part of the natural environment. And that sentiment applies to our beloved North Georgia Mountains as well. Banana peels do not belong there. It’s not a part of the diets of local wildlife. They don’t need it. And it only serves to attract wildlife to within striking distance. Why would you go to the trouble of hanging your bear bag at night but then toss “food” along the trail the next day?

But perhaps the most compelling reason to refrain from tossing that banana peel is this. As dedicated hikers, we should hold ourselves to the highest standard. If the highest standard says, “pack it in, pack it out,” then that is what we should do. If the highest standard says, “leave no trace” then leave no trace it should be. What would it say about us if some hikers came across trash of any kind that we had left behind? At the very least, let’s make the banana peel a symbol of our commitment to the outdoors and to each other.

I’ll leave you with a final question – where do you put your banana peels at home? Do you throw them out into the front yard? Why not, they’re organic? No, I’ll bet you put them in the trash. So why would you treat the great outdoors any different?  If it’s trash at home, then it’s trash on the trail!

8/16/09

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