CHECKING IN WITH … ROLF ABRO:

The Camp shopping center on Bristol Street may be the most eco-friendly property in Costa Mesa — the buildings were made largely from recycled materials, while the retailers include the vegan restaurants Native Foods and 118 Degrees, and the animal-free clothing boutique Humanitaire.

Perhaps no business at the Camp, though, is more in tune with nature than Adventure 16, which sells camping gear and a number of recycled and sustainable goods. Rolf Abro, the store manager of Adventure 16 for four years, took a break Thursday to talk about his business’ philosophy and his own love of the wild.

What does the name Adventure 16 mean?

There’s a story behind that. Basically, the company was started by a bunch of Boy Scouts, and they wanted to film their adventures, and they wanted to purchase a 16 mm camera in order to do that, so they started making outdoor equipment and selling it so they could raise funds. Then that kind of morphed into selling equipment, and they found out it was more fun to sell equipment than to make it. I don’t know if they ever bought that 16 mm camera or not.

Are all the materials here recycled or sustainable?

Not on all the clothing we carry, but Patagonia pretty much spearheaded that arena, and we see a lot more of the vendors we carry going in that direction. They’re more environmentally conscious about the packaging of their product, the manufacturing process of their product, the materials they use.

Have you seen “An Inconvenient Truth?”

Yes, I have.

There seems to be a debate going on about whether global warming is real or a hoax. Do you think it’s real?

I think it’s happening, yeah.

You have one of those green roofs on top of your store, with actual vegetation planted on the roof. Was that your idea?

To be honest, I don’t know whose idea that was, if it was the Camp’s or Adventure 16’s, but it’s great. We get the blooms up there and the flowers. It helps keep the Patagonia area cool.

What kind of camping do most people do around here?

What’s really popular right now is adventure travel, where people are packing up their old-style Samsonite suitcase and going to Africa and places on safari, a little more active-based vacations. That’s where we excel, at taking care of those customers.

Do you go camping much yourself?

When I get the time. I spend a lot of time here, but I live vicariously through my customers.

What’s your favorite camping spot in the world?

Without a doubt, the High Sierras. I get grounded there. It’s so serene-looking, so clean. It’s just a place where you can put everything into perspective. You can go in there with a bunch of troubles, and you realize your troubles don’t matter hardly at all.

Is there a place where you’ve always wanted to camp?

I would love to do more backpacking in Alaska.

Name five things you always take on a camping trip.

First off, I’m always going to take my 10 essentials, and that’s in case something were to happen.

What are the 10 essentials?

I’d have to go get the list, but what you’re looking for is emergency food, some kind of emergency shelter, like a space blanket. You’re looking for a whistle to signal for help in case you do get hurt, a signal mirror for aircraft. You always want to be taking water with you. I take some method of starting a fire, be it a magnesium piece or little pieces of fire starter. I would take sunscreen with me. I would take a hat and sunglasses. I think I’ve caught everything in there.

Is there anything that comes in handy on a camping trip that most people don’t think of?

One of the things I like to bring with me is a pair of camp shoes. A lot of people bring their boots or things like that, and then at the end of the day, they take off their boots and think, “What am I going to put on my feet?” The kind I bring are kind of a sock format, so I can wear them in the sleeping bag as well.

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at [email protected].