Litter picking while caching

[+Trudging Trudgian]

Can I make a request for an expansion of the noble CITO iniative,

How about a more informal way for people to get involved and recognised for keeping our countryside free of litter while our caching.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to allow people who collected litter while out on their normal caching trips, and nothing to do with a regognised CITO event, to be able to log that they had done this good work. I guess it could be an additional icon and number of visits logged on each persons profile. Has to be good for all. Anybody have any thoughts ?

[+sparqui66]

Greetings from across the pond!

 

I am grateful that the geocaching community takes pride in its CITO efforts, and I believe that spreading the message and practicing CITO while geocaching is noble in and of itself.

 

Personally, I think every human has an obligation to take care of the planet (in however small or great an effort) and the more we are involved, the greater the benefit will be. I don't think that a special mention is warranted, since CITO should be altruistic.

 

I always keep a grocery bag in my geocaching pack specifically for this cause. If I have visited a cache site that has lots of garbage, I will perform CITO and report it when I log the find (or DNF). It is my hope that in reading my log entry that others will be encouraged to be good stewards as well.

 

I have yet to set any of my own caches, but if the cache location needs CITO, I will mention it in the cache description.

[Gryffindork]

There was one cache that I was having trouble finding, and it was in a spot where there was an awful lot of trash. So i went back a few weeks later with a large glad bag and proceded to fill it up! Needless to say while I not only did a good deed, I also found the cache in the process, and I probably wouldnt have ever seen it if it werent for my mad trash collecting skillz.

 

I mentioned my method for finding this cache when i logged the find, but I really dont think i need a icon for it, or some kind of tracking number. I just enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling I get knowing I did the right thing.

[+Criminal]

Can I make a request for an expansion of the noble CITO iniative,

How about a more informal way for people to get involved and recognised for keeping our countryside free of litter while our caching.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to allow people who collected litter while out on their normal caching trips, and nothing to do with a regognised CITO event, to be able to log that they had done this good work. I guess it could be an additional icon and number of visits logged on each persons profile. Has to be good for all. Anybody have any thoughts ?

Why can't you include a line or two in your cache log? Even if you DNF, you can still note your efforts at CITO in your DNF log.

[+Durango!]

http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/uclasp/i...ills/swath.html

 

Please read: "My Twenty Foot Swath"

[+Renegade Knight]

I think there is a lot of merit to the ides.

 

A simple "CITO" check box next to your regular log would do two things. Encourage more people to CITO. And give use an easier method to track how much good geocaching is doing the world and maybe more importatnly our public lands. That's not a bad thing.

[Guyute1210]

I think there is a lot of merit to the ides.

 

A simple "CITO" check box next to your regular log would do two things. Encourage more people to CITO. And give use an easier method to track how much good geocaching is doing the world and maybe more importatnly our public lands. That's not a bad thing.

The problem I see with the CITO checkbox is that everyone will check the box and say that they CITOed b/c they brought their cigarette butts or water bottles back out, or just check the box to get the new numbers...

[+KerBear]

The problem I see with the CITO checkbox is that everyone will check the box and say that they CITOed b/c they brought their cigarette butts or water bottles back out, or just check the box to get the new numbers...

 

with an organized CITO-a park ranger or official from the area served typically checks in and there is verification that the area was cleaned. having a self check box like guyute1210 says-people will check cito because they found a few cig. butts-esp. if they know it means add'l smiley. And who knows if they really took trash out. wouldn't we just need to write about it in the log?? If the area is that trashed-post a needs maint. and that will alert the owner there's a problem. Not sure we really need a check box for something a good bit of us do anyway.

[+Renegade Knight]

The problem I see with the CITO checkbox is that everyone will check the box and say that they CITOed b/c they brought their cigarette butts or water bottles back out, or just check the box to get the new numbers...

 

with an organized CITO-a park ranger or official from the area served typically checks in and there is verification that the area was cleaned. having a self check box like guyute1210 says-people will check cito because they found a few cig. butts-esp. if they know it means add'l smiley. And who knows if they really took trash out. wouldn't we just need to write about it in the log?? If the area is that trashed-post a needs maint. and that will alert the owner there's a problem. Not sure we really need a check box for something a good bit of us do anyway.

 

If people truly want to pad their numbers then I guess they will log their fake CITO when they log their Fake find. The ideas downside is the same as geocahcing logs themselves itself. In other words trivial. However the upside does have some potential for use as an informal way to impress land managers. Even if all they did was haul out a single piece of trash it's one more piece than was hauled out before and a boon for any land manager interested in seeing the good geocaching does.

 

The only real downside is that this site would have to do the work to create a CITO Smilie of some type. Just like stats those who don't care and those who don't like the idea are completley unharmed by it.

[BrklynDox]

I think this is a great idea and actually logged onto this forum to investigate whether it was accepted form/protocol to leave clean-up supplies in cache site. Thanks for any info!

[+Trucker Lee]

I think this is a great idea and actually logged onto this forum to investigate whether it was accepted form/protocol to leave clean-up supplies in cache site. Thanks for any info!

You are free to leave what you wish, within appropriate boundaries, in a cache. Clean-up supplies would be great, making them available to anyone whom left home without theirs.

[+MissJenn]

I think this is a great idea and actually logged onto this forum to investigate whether it was accepted form/protocol to leave clean-up supplies in cache site. Thanks for any info!

Check out this thread where people talk about what they leave in caches (related to this).

[+undertree]

http://www.urbanedpartnership.org/uclasp/i...ills/swath.html

 

Please read: "My Twenty Foot Swath"

 

Thanks for your little article.

 

It shows that we can all make a difference even if are the only ones who know about it. These are awesome lessons to learn and teach our children. We all don't have to be angry about others actions if we take care of our own actions. It is a freeing of ones mind when we don't worry about others actions and focus on making ourselves happy.

 

I really did enjoy the article especially about the part where you changed from anger that no one else was doing anything, to the point where you decided it would be YOU who did something. There is something magical that happens when you realize the best part is when you become responsible. I am going on and on because this type of mindset will really help in more areas of our lives than just geocaching.

 

Happy caching Durango. and keep it up.

[+saopaulo1]

I usually bring a bag with me while caching. Here in Brazil, people have a tendency of sticking trash in tree holes. Bringing a bag: A) Helps clean the trash and Makes you look less suspicious.

[+nosegauds]

I usually bring a bag with me while caching. Here in Brazil, people have a tendency of sticking trash in tree holes. Bringing a bag: A) Helps clean the trash and Makes you look less suspicious.

 

I don't know about less suspcicous! We always try to pick up trash when we cache. On last Saturday's trip, we picked up a whole bunch of beer cans and a very large (empty) bottle of rum. On our way out, we came across a smoldering camp fire. Since our fire danger is extreme right now, we called the police station, who asked us to wait by the site for the volunteer fire fighters. Well, there we are with a big bag of alcohol containers!

Edited May 9, 2007 by nosegauds

[+bullionhunter]

Well, yesterday I kayaked 6.5 miles in RI. I was checking out a possible cache location. I spotted an old car battery (obviously from a motorboat) that had been "deep sixed". I had to use my small anchor as a grappling hook, as it was about 7' under water. I almost dumped the kayak getting it on board due to the weight. I could not feel right leaving this battery in such a beautiful place.

Edited May 15, 2007 by bullionhunter

[+jstdadd]

Can I make a request for an expansion of the noble CITO iniative,

How about a more informal way for people to get involved and recognised for keeping our countryside free of litter while our caching.

Wouldn't it be a good idea to allow people who collected litter while out on their normal caching trips, and nothing to do with a regognised CITO event, to be able to log that they had done this good work. I guess it could be an additional icon and number of visits logged on each persons profile. Has to be good for all. Anybody have any thoughts ?

I think that is a great idea...I often take or encounter youngsters on the trail and I am always picking up trash - a young geocacher being recognized for this useful activity as part of his cache hunting experience would be an incredibly useful tool to promote CITO. BTW: My kids call me the trashman!

[+jstdadd]

The problem I see with the CITO checkbox is that everyone will check the box and say that they CITOed b/c they brought their cigarette butts or water bottles back out, or just check the box to get the new numbers...

 

with an organized CITO-a park ranger or official from the area served typically checks in and there is verification that the area was cleaned. having a self check box like guyute1210 says-people will check cito because they found a few cig. butts-esp. if they know it means add'l smiley. And who knows if they really took trash out. wouldn't we just need to write about it in the log?? If the area is that trashed-post a needs maint. and that will alert the owner there's a problem. Not sure we really need a check box for something a good bit of us do anyway.

I'd be plenty happy to give people the self-recognition if they packed out a few cigarette butts!

[sheltowee_wanderer]

I recently dedicated a cache to one of my non-geocaching friends who believes that caches themselves are nothing but trash in the woods. She jokingly calls it "wood trash".

 

In an attempt to show her that caches are not merely "trash in the woods" I've dedicated a cache called "Wood trash" ; instructing those who find the cache to cache in... trash out. I am also asking geocachers to take photos of the trash they pull out the area.

 

Hopefully my friend will change her mind soon about geocaching soon!

 

-Jim

www.geocaching.spidersavvy.com

[+Scare Force One]

You dont need to do anything special to CITO. All you do is bring a bag with you and pick up trash along the way. It's not a secret club that requires an appliction to be submitted.

 

~.~Scare Force One

[L. Patel]

I like your idea of adding an icon representative of picking up some litter while out caching any time of year. It's something good for the earth at any time and allowing cachers to log their good deed may be an incentive.

[DavidWCFL]

I went on a trail yesterday to find a cache, and saw some bottles and decided to pick them up. I don't think there should be an icon saying that you should pick trash up, it should be natural.

Edited November 12, 2007 by DavidWCFL