“The Campsite Rule” is a term I first heard on the great and hugely entertaining podcast Savage Love (listener discretion advised) by columnist Dan Savage. He refers to it in the context of relationships with a large age difference, where the older partner should leave the relationship leaving the younger partner “in better shape then they found them”. If you’re looking for Dan Savage, sorry, this is not his blog… just a big fan of his. (If you are Dan Savage, I hope that you won’t mind that I am using this term – love your show!)

I believe that the same rule applies to everything. And it often doesn’t take much effort: it usually only takes awareness of the potential damage you can do, and of the existing damage you can fix.

Whether in a relationship, on the job, in daily interactions with strangers, while traveling, in nature, or simply in everyday life, I strive to apply “the campsite rule” and leave a positive mark behind me, or no mark at all. It’s not always easy, but awareness of this goal is already a significant step… if we could collectively do the same thing, we would come a long way.

As for me, my name is Axel Estable, and I live with my very lovely wife Michelle in Paris, France, which is where I grew up. I work in the field of sustainability after having started my career as an IT project manager.

Michelle and I love to travel, meet new people and discover new cultures, and hike. Our bond with our social and natural environments is very important to us, and we try to incorporate it in our lives as much as we can.

Michelle and Axel at Gavarnie