Sundog’s Almanac of Ethical Answers
The latest
Archive
After moving into a small home in a mountain town, a reader is inundated with guests. Is it impolite to house them in a camper?
A reader wrestles with the moral quandary of selling old gear on Craigslist or Facebook. What happens if your stuff immediately falls apart?
After an injury, a reader can no longer go on a trip with his buddies. Should he pay his friends for the rental house?
Game wardens want outdoor recreationists to leave injured animals alone—even if that means they die. But do we lose a piece of our humanity by refusing to intervene?
A frustrated mountain biker is tired of his buddies riding their e-bikes on trails where they aren’t allowed. Plus, his friends routinely drop him.
Our ethics columnist helps a property owner navigate a dilemma that pits him against pesky locals who are trashing his land
Our ethics columnist weighs in on the dilemma about when a predator has the right to act like a predator—and when it crosses the line
The pros and cons of plugging in when your lifestyle takes you off the grid
Navigating the ethics when resort-town absentee landlords crack down on law-breaking locals
A frustrated reader knows it's bad form, but wants to break the rules to secure a riverside site anyway
A frustrated reader feels taken advantage of. But should he?
A reader and their partner recently squared off over the $10 cancellation fees on campground reservations
A worried reader wants to ban Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider from our wild places
A frustrated reader asks if we can prohibit Sprinter-van telecommuters on their laptops in the great outdoors
Outside’s ethics guru on which outdoor activities make sense for young kids
Outside's ethics guru on who should be in charge of the groover on a river trip
Outside’s ethics guru weighs in on whether it’s all right to name a Utah development project after one of the West’s most notorious anti-development advocates
Outside's ethics columnist faces a dilemma in his own life
Outside’s ethics columnist weighs in
Outside’s ethics columnist weighs in on the great cairn debate
Should a reader feel guilty about booking a short-term rental in a town beset by the housing crisis? Outside’s ethics columnist weighs in.
And what about charging people to climb that mountain? Outside’s ethics guru weighs in.
“Since he’s never said anything explicitly romantic, wouldn’t it be presumptuous to tell him I’m not interested?”
Outside’s ethics guru weighs in on taxation without representation
More people outside has meant more rules for all of us—including what to do with our excrement
Outside’s ethics guru weighs in on the Great Outdoors Music Debate
Outside’s ethics guru ponders what exactly is up for grabs on public lands
Buying a house just so you can rent it out on Airbnb is lame. And predatory.
Outside’s ethics guru on how to be both a responsible pet owner and an environmental steward
Outside’s ethics guru weighs in on what to do if you trigger an avalanche in the backcountry
Outside’s ethics guru on why it’s not the nudity that’s offensive
Our guru weighs in on the ethics of defacing a man-made blight
There’s a right and a wrong way to live in the desert, says Outside’s ethics guru
Our ethics columnist weighs in on balancing conservation and enjoyment
Our ethics columnist on the right and wrong way to share the trail this summer
Dispersed camping is getting less dispersed. Our ethics columnist weighs in on whether you need to share.
Outside’s ethics guru on who public lands are for
Outside’s ethics guru on whether we should prioritize uphill or downhill traffic in the backcountry