This is the first in a series of stories about ethics in aspects of American life. Stories about ethics in sports, politics, business and other fields will follow.

How do you act when no one is watching?

The great outdoors offers solitude and isolation.

So, how are your ethics then, when you're on your own?

Do you do just what you feel like doing, or do you consider the environment and those who will come after you?

The environment is a true minefield of ethics, where humans often show their best or worst behavior. From littering, to killing wildlife illegally, to short-cutting trails, to harvesting artifacts, there are many areas of bad behavior to consider.

Pure ignorance can also come into play. Some novice hikers may not be aware of what fragile cryptobiotic soil is, or that some plastic trash doesn't really burn.

According to Kathy Jo Pollock, spokeswoman for the Wasatch-Cache National Forest, the best outdoor ethical advice is this: "Leave no trace" when camping or hiking.

Virtually all outdoor ethics center on leaving the area as you found it.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, headquartered in Boulder, Colo., is an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide.

"Leave No Trace is not just a slogan or a training program – it is an ethic, and a way of life. Integrating Leave No Trace ethics into how we live today positively affects the life we lead tomorrow," the group's Web site, www.lnt.org, states.

Another group, Tread Lightly! (www.treadlightly.org) offers extensive online tips and guidelines on being more responsible in hiking, camping, boating, hunting, horseback riding, ATVs and more.

Tread Lightly! is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to proactively protect recreation access and opportunities in the outdoors through education and stewardship initiatives. The Great Salt Lake Council of The Boy Scouts of America sponsors a periodic 16-hour class, "Leave No Trace Trainer Course," designed to teach minimum impact techniques to friends.

Family and fellow scouters lead discussions on outdoor ethics and more.

James Neill says on wilderdom.com/EthicsMoralDevelopment.htm:

"Perhaps the most commonly discussed ethical issues involve weighing up the relative human and ecological benefits of outdoor education activity.