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"Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints."
It's a common phrase associated with enjoying nature.
But, with so many outdoor enthusiasts wanting to bring along the comforts of home, they may not be thinking about the carbon footprint they are leaving behind.
"Old-school (camping) was when you pitch a tent, carry in and carry out everything you needed," said Mike Moeller, president of the Remy Battery Co. in Milwaukee. "Now, a lot of people want to take their modern conveniences with them."
TVs, gaming systems, DVD players, radios, microwaves - the list seems endless.
Yet all those conveniences need a power source.
At the Journal Sentinel Sports Show, Moeller's company, which has been a participant at the show for more than 25 years, will have a booth where visitors can see alternative ways to power their appliances and help reduce their carbon footprint - or the greenhouse gas emissions caused directly or indirectly by an individual or product. They also can take home a worksheet to see how much power their appliances and conveniences use.
Currently, the most common way to charge batteries, whether on land or in a marine setting, is to plug into a shore power or small gas generator. And in some cases, people run the engines on their RVs or boats to keep things powered.
The Remy Battery booth will have a closed-loop system on display that will include a solar panel, a 1,000-watt inverter/charger and rechargeable absorbed glass mat batteries.
"We're taking it a step further," Moeller said about the system.
Although some of these products have been around for many years, Moeller said more customers are showing an interest in reducing their impact on the environment.
"This has been going on in the business for a while, but it's just starting to come to the forefront," he said. "(In the past) it's been really high-end and expensive, but that pricing is starting to drop."
Moeller said a system can run from about $150 to $5,000. It's just a matter of how many conveniences one wants to have or necessities one needs.
 "There is a whole slew of ideas people come up with," said Moeller, who added that one customer needed to run a sleep apnea machine.
After the initial investment, equipment can last 10 to 20 years - assuming it is used, cared for, maintained and stored properly, said Moeller.
"In Wisconsin, a lot of activities are seasonal, so people don't always take care of their equipment properly," he said.
Moeller said he tries to educate customers and visitors on getting the most use out of their equipment.
Although the solar panel will not be used at the Sports Show because it is held indoors, Remy Battery plans to have as little impact on the environment as possible. But Moeller is hoping to have a greater impact on those who stop and see the booth.
"We want to give a person a better understanding of the power they are using," he said. "And give them a better understanding of how they are affecting the environment around them."
Provided by Milwaukee Journal Sentinal
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/outdoors/40693397.html
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