Trash Swag in Caches

March 29, 2011

Lots of times we come across caches that are just filled with 2nd hand junk. Some common examples would be dead old/used happy meal toys, old worn weathered books, wet/destroyed items, unrecognizable pieces of something, old coupons, other stuff that belongs in the dumpster. Sometimes I feel I go hiking to find an ammo-box-looking trash can.

in considering the "leave equally to what you take" etiquette guideline, I still think it's perfectly fine to remove these trash items when caching, even if I don't leave anything (I always leave something for the kids anyways). In fact, I encourage others to do the same.

I'm not talking about trinkits, we always have party favor trinkits we carry to leave in all caches that will fit them. I'm talking about stuff that is clearly trash, or became trash due to weathering (wet paper/books).

But I was wondering what others thought on the subject of trash in caches and what can be done.

If trashcaching is what geocaching is going to turn into, I have an excellent cache idea: I'll make the coords my front side walk. The cache conatainer is about 5 feet tall, and is available for trading items every monday morning before 10am. I'll be sure to fill it full of swag during the week...

Edited March 29, 2011 by Luckyplan

7.5k · March 29, 2011

Lots of times we come across caches that are just filled with 2nd hand junk. Some common examples would be dead old/used happy meal toys, old worn weathered books, wet/destroyed items, unrecognizable pieces of something, coupons, other stuff that belongs in the dumpster. Sometimes I feel I go hiking to find an ammo-box-looking trash can.

in considering the "leave equally to what you take" etiquette guideline, I still think it's perfectly fine to remove all these trash items when caching, even if I don't leave anything. In fact, I encourage others to do the same.

But I was wondering what others thought on the subject of trash in caches.

It's always been an issue. I don't think we're ever going to change it by asking finders to 'trade up trade equal', although I don't think it hurts to remind people.

In over 10 years of caching, I'm not seeing any change in the junk swag issue. I've come to the conclusion that rather then coming at the problem via the finders, we need to plead with COs. They can help make things better with more maintenance visits to clear out the trash and wipe down the box. A clean, water resistant box with just a couple of clean decent trinkets is nicer to find and nicer to leave another decent trinket in, then a trashy box that hasn't been maintained in many months (maybe even years).

If we do think finders can make a difference maybe we can get finders to help keep caches cleared of junk by starting a new mantra - 'Keep geocaches free from cache trash'.

2.5k · March 29, 2011

When I go caching it is more of the adventure than what swag is waiting for me in the cache. It seems that caching has gone away from the swag and the take something leave something and is more into the found it generation. I used to leave unactiviated personal geocoins of mine in caches but now I find it a waste of money to do that and just give them away to people that I meet at events. Last week at MOGA I gave away ten of them to cachers that I just meet and not expecting anything in return just the smile it put on their faces with the gift.

4.2k · March 29, 2011

But I was wondering what others thought on the subject of trash in caches.

its a problem everywhere, we take it upon ourselves to toss out anything that is totally destroyed and unrecognizable, more so when we find things that were obviously picked up from the ground at the cache site

March 29, 2011

When I go caching it is more of the adventure than what swag is waiting for me in the cache. It seems that caching has gone away from the swag and the take something leave something and is more into the found it generation. I used to leave unactiviated personal geocoins of mine in caches but now I find it a waste of money to do that and just give them away to people that I meet at events. Last week at MOGA I gave away ten of them to cachers that I just meet and not expecting anything in return just the smile it put on their faces with the gift.

Want to send me one of your geocoins. <---Big Smile

If I find stuff that is defiantly trash I usually take it out of the cache. I usually leave stuff like old happy meal toys though. I've also taken a few bottles of bubble solution because I've heard these leak and make a mess in caches.

38.2k · March 29, 2011

...I still think it's perfectly fine to remove all these trash items when caching, even if I don't leave anything. In fact, I encourage others to do the same.

I don't think that's perfectly fine, I think it's stealing. Many COs start their caches off with junk. That is what they wanted in there and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate you cleaning it out and leaving nothing.

19k · March 29, 2011

Wet/moldy paper or fabric stuff should be removed. Otherwise... you should probably leave it if you don't care to put anything new in. Only thing worse than an ammo box full of junk is an empty ammo box.

March 29, 2011

...I still think it's perfectly fine to remove all these trash items when caching, even if I don't leave anything. In fact, I encourage others to do the same.

I don't think that's perfectly fine, I think it's stealing. Many COs start their caches off with junk. That is what they wanted in there and I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate you cleaning it out and leaving nothing.

well I guess the proper term shouldn't be junk. Reviewing my original post, I guess it's alright to leave old happy meal toys (I always leave those in fact). But my point is a lot of people literally pick up litter and place it in a cache. But nobody is carrying it out. So I certainly wouldn't find it as stealing. (I guess some people find it acceptable to take out something nice and replace it with some used napkins.)

Little trinkits are totally fine and great and make it fun for the kids but I'm not talking about that stuff. I carry around little things like that to put in most caches like jelly bracelets, fake money coins, ext. The stuff I'm refering to is certainly not stuff the CO placed. I'm talking about trash. I'm no germ freek but I've seen some caches where I dont want to even stick my hand in to get the log cuz they're so discusting. If I find a book that has been weathered beyond reading, I would imagine most would agree that it would be good etiquette to remove it. I remember reading somewhere on Geocaching.com that the items placed in caches should be new or slightly used. I say old rusted items (not to mention health hazards) should be removed, even if i dont leave anything.

If I take a candy wrapper from a cache (I can't believe people do this) or expired coupons, I don't think it's stealing if I don't leave anything.... At least I certainly hope not. I hope that would be considered proper etiquette, helping the CO take care of the cache.

I guess my overall comment is that many people forget that CITO also refers to inside the cache as well.

So please dont say I'm stealing, assuming this clears some things up.

Edited March 29, 2011 by Luckyplan

March 29, 2011

I once found a Tyvek suit in a cache Maybe I should have taken it to protect myself from some of the nasty stuff I find in / around caches.

If I find obvious trash (old food, wrappers, wet/moldy stuff) I remove it. It's trash. Shouldn't be there and it's stinking up the cache.

March 29, 2011

Totally agree with the OP. Take the garbage out..

38.2k · March 29, 2011

f I take a candy wrapper from a cache (I can't believe people do this) or expired coupons, I don't think it's stealing if I don't leave anything.... At least I certainly hope not. I hope that would be considered proper etiquette, helping the CO take care of the cache.

I guess my overall comment is that many people forget that CITO also refers to inside the cache as well.

So please dont say I'm stealing, assuming this clears some things up.

Thanks for the clarification. It originally sounded as if you were removing anything that wasn't up to your standards. Sure, if someone puts real trash in a cache, it should be removed.

March 29, 2011

"SITO" Swag in, trash out.

March 29, 2011

yep, i will remove gum wrappers and ticket stubs all the time. Who the hell wants to trade a used ticket stub or candy wrapper. Thats just wrong.

As for old happy meal toys, as long as they aren't actually broken, they are just fine in my opinion.

March 29, 2011

I think part of the problem is the "Rawr! Don't take something without leaving something else!"-attitude. I'd rather have the cacher take an item from the cache and leave nothing instead of "trading" junk or trying to cram in a trade item that doesn't fit or that will overfill the cache and make the lid leak. I tend to clean out destroyed cache items that didn't survive a damp cache, or stuff that's too big and making the lid hard to close. In some instances I leave some swag in return, in others I just leave a neater cache for the ones after me.

Ticket stubs and rubber bands make me confused, but the ones I found were clean and I don't know... someone might like it? So I left them. If it's not nasty/dirty/soggy and not clogging up the entire cache I'll give it the benefit of a doubt. One cachers trash might just be treasure to someone else. Um... Someone that really needed a rubber band.

EDIT: I collected candy wrappers as a kid. I would have picked up a nice one

Edited March 29, 2011 by ApanAnn

March 29, 2011

We went out this weekend and did a maintenance run on caches we have on a trail loop and we pulled out trash in just about every cache. I don't understand why cachers would do this. I guess they have to take something out of my cache to put in the bottle cap they found while hiking. Found some smashed shot gun shells, twigs, the backs of stickers, a broken reflector and other trash in my caches. The only reason we even do the swag thing is because my daughter(7) won't let me put caches out without swag. I rarely ever trade anything unless she is out caching with us. She really likes to trade things.

1.9k · March 30, 2011

yep, i will remove gum wrappers and ticket stubs all the time. Who the hell wants to trade a used ticket stub or candy wrapper. Thats just wrong.

As for old happy meal toys, as long as they aren't actually broken, they are just fine in my opinion.

that stuff can be a godsend when the caches log is full or missing.

2.3k · March 30, 2011

I had to use a rubberband found in a cache at one point to hold something together when out caching. Remember finding it and thinking thank goodness they left something useful out here.

March 30, 2011

When we were out last weekend, we came home with a bag of cache trash.

I would prefer to see a cache with only one or two non rusty items versus stabbing myself (yet again) with a rusty pin.

If you're going to pull trashed McSwag, even if you dont particpate on the SWAG side of caching, maybe grab some cheapie-cheap 20 for a dollar army men or something. Who doesn't smile when they see a green plastic army man in a cache !

My 2 cents. Your mileage may vary.

March 30, 2011

Oh and when I find the guy in town that keeps leaving Taco Bell Taco sauces in caches, there will be trouble ! :lol:

18.9k · March 31, 2011

I always trade up or trade even, I'll add swag to caches that have none. Try to set the example for others is the best any of us can do.

It's amazing what you can buy in bulk for caches. Sale items. Last fall I got 50 mini calculators originally priced at $2.99 ea - for just 10 cents each - $5 bucks total. Now the issue is finding caches large enough to hold them.

7.9k · March 31, 2011

I'm really not sure what a fair trade for a soggy business card or an expired coupon might be, but as long as you trade fairly when removing such items, you are golden.

March 31, 2011

If you're going to pull trashed McSwag, even if you dont particpate on the SWAG side of caching, maybe grab some cheapie-cheap 20 for a dollar army men or something. Who doesn't smile when they see a green plastic army man in a cache !

Haha, I just bought a 48 for a dollar bag of army men. I've been putting a few in every cache that is big enough.

March 31, 2011

Oh and when I find the guy in town that keeps leaving Taco Bell Taco sauces in caches, there will be trouble !

That taco bell guy must travel around the country!

19k · March 31, 2011

I'm really not sure what a fair trade for a soggy business card or an expired coupon might be, but as long as you trade fairly when removing such items, you are golden.

I think the fair trade item for a soggy business card might be an expired coupon.

Seriously... I think the "one man's trash is another man's treasure" mantra is hogwash that is frequently used to justify poor trades. We're adults. We generally have a pretty good idea of what is trash and what is not. Of course, there are some things that go into the cache as a good trade item, but six months later, in a damp, dirty environment, ends up as trash.

April 1, 2011

the other day i found a cache that had a used I-tunes gift card in it.

April 5, 2011

The last cache I found..( ammo box ) had a little girls dress crammed into it. That was just creapy.

April 5, 2011

One man's junk is another man's treasure. I'm sure this 'junk' sometimes is all someone could afford. It might have meant a lot to them. As for we all being 'adults' I don't think so. I've observed quite a few kids going to some of the caches around here.

April 5, 2011

Our family always upgrades cash trash and cleans them out as we go too. If you spend 20 bucks on some glitter glue, easy cast epoxy from any craft store and stop in at any local bar for bottlecaps, you can make homemade geocoins like this by the hundreds:

Easy peasy, and people seem to dig em!

April 5, 2011

I tend to clean out garbage too and tend to leave extra swag to make up for the garbage I removed. At first the garbage in caches were annoying but now I find it amusing to see what crazy garbage cachers think is "appropriate" to leave behind. My personal favorite was a cigarette. Yes because I am sure the cacher thought leaving a cigarette in a kid friendly cache was very "appropriate."

April 15, 2011

Our family always upgrades cash trash and cleans them out as we go too. If you spend 20 bucks on some glitter glue, easy cast epoxy from any craft store and stop in at any local bar for bottlecaps, you can make homemade geocoins like this by the hundreds:

Easy peasy, and people seem to dig em!

Cool!

7.4k · April 15, 2011

I enjoy finding caches filled with junk drawer objects. To me, the neat part about geocaching and trade items is the connection to other people - finding these containers in the woods full of stuff left by other people is just cool. Most of the time, I don't trade things. It's just interesting to look through it.

I think it's sad that things have devolved to a point where there's constant complaining about "swag" quality. Even the proliferation of the term "swag" lends a disappointing, materialistic bent to the whole game. Geocaching is about getting out and exploring - if you want brand new stuff, go to the mall.

April 15, 2011

I think a lot of the junk is other peoples signature items.

April 15, 2011

We have been leaving lots of the older toys they aren't into anymore. Good toys their just not into them anymore - I was thinking yardsales would be a good place to get stuff. Even when I'm alone I leave a bunch of them for the next kids cause I know mine love finding good stuff. My son was psyched the other day to find a teck-deck - only to find it was a trackable !

22k · April 15, 2011

I think a lot of the junk is other peoples signature items.

Yeah, but you know how people sometimes like to list in the cache description the swag they included when first placing a cache?

"a used Sears craftsman garage door opener"

It happens to be one of my all time favorite caches. Not kidding.

Still, trash. Would have made a better travel bug.

7.5k · April 16, 2011

I enjoy finding caches filled with junk drawer objects. To me, the neat part about geocaching and trade items is the connection to other people - finding these containers in the woods full of stuff left by other people is just cool.

Yes, I totally agree. It's not about the value of the stuff but the connection to people via the stuff in the box.

7.4k · April 16, 2011

I think a lot of the junk is other peoples signature items.

Yeah, but you know how people sometimes like to list in the cache description the swag they included when first placing a cache?

"a used Sears craftsman garage door opener"

It happens to be one of my all time favorite caches. Not kidding.

Still, trash. Would have made a better travel bug.

If I found a used garage door opener in a cache, I would laugh and take a picture of it. *Geocaching is supposed to be fun.*

April 16, 2011

I am a new cacher and am amazed at some of the junk left behind. Last weekend we found a recently pulled tooth, complete with dried blood on it - ick!

2.3k · April 16, 2011

I enjoy finding caches filled with junk drawer objects. To me, the neat part about geocaching and trade items is the connection to other people - finding these containers in the woods full of stuff left by other people is just cool. Most of the time, I don't trade things. It's just interesting to look through it.

I think it's sad that things have devolved to a point where there's constant complaining about "swag" quality. Even the proliferation of the term "swag" lends a disappointing, materialistic bent to the whole game. Geocaching is about getting out and exploring - if you want brand new stuff, go to the mall.

Going through the various things is my favorite part too used or not.

I leave stuff in caches if I like them. But at this point I leave when I like to leave. Either people complain that there's not enough in them for the kids or the other group complains there's not enough in them for adults. Then a group complains it's too dirty (it's a cache for goodness sakes they are inherently dirty). So I don't listen to any of the complainers any more and just continue on my way leaving neato stuff in caches that I collect along the way shopping.

April 16, 2011

I am a new cacher and am amazed at some of the junk left behind. Last weekend we found a recently pulled tooth, complete with dried blood on it - ick!

That's kind of cool :yikes:

April 16, 2011

I am a new cacher and am amazed at some of the junk left behind. Last weekend we found a recently pulled tooth, complete with dried blood on it - ick!

Ok, this is definitely the winner for best signature item!

April 16, 2011

I am a new cacher and am amazed at some of the junk left behind. Last weekend we found a recently pulled tooth, complete with dried blood on it - ick!

Ok, this is definitely the winner for best signature item!

gross!!!!!!

:lol: :lol: :lol:

April 16, 2011

Lots of times we come across caches that are just filled with 2nd hand junk. Some common examples would be dead old/used happy meal toys, old worn weathered books, wet/destroyed items, unrecognizable pieces of something, old coupons, other stuff that belongs in the dumpster. Sometimes I feel I go hiking to find an ammo-box-looking trash can.

in considering the "leave equally to what you take" etiquette guideline, I still think it's perfectly fine to remove these trash items when caching, even if I don't leave anything (I always leave something for the kids anyways). In fact, I encourage others to do the same.

I'm not talking about trinkits, we always have party favor trinkits we carry to leave in all caches that will fit them. I'm talking about stuff that is clearly trash, or became trash due to weathering (wet paper/books).

But I was wondering what others thought on the subject of trash in caches and what can be done.

If trashcaching is what geocaching is going to turn into, I have an excellent cache idea: I'll make the coords my front side walk. The cache conatainer is about 5 feet tall, and is available for trading items every monday morning before 10am. I'll be sure to fill it full of swag during the week...

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=270830

April 18, 2011

I don't really mind junk drawers stuff, although I think items left in a cache should at least be useful to SOMEONE. Tampons, 20 year old coffee punch cards, already stuck stickers, anything broken, teeth (ugh)and random shreds of paper are just rude. We don't need to spend lots of money on swag and I won't be spending any $$ on travel bugs or coins, but if it can't be used it should go in the trash! :mad:

It drives me nuts when people let their kids drop kid trash into a cache, especially when the cache is themed.... have you no sense of pride in your caching?! I don't expect anything fancy, but it IS a treasure hunt and I expect after hunting for treasure I will find something useful. If it were not for the the thrill of maybe finding something cool, we would go earthcaching for the fun of finding a place. Yes, alot of the fun is in the hunting and all, but it really takes away from the whole thing if when you finally find that elusive cache you find someone else's garbage. I mean really, if I or anyone wants trash, we know where the dump is, thanks so much!

Those home-made bottle cap geocoins are awesome and a perfect example of finding something cool in a cache!

3.3k · April 18, 2011

I think part of the problem is the "Rawr! Don't take something without leaving something else!"-attitude. I'd rather have the cacher take an item from the cache and leave nothing instead of "trading" junk or trying to cram in a trade item that doesn't fit or that will overfill the cache and make the lid leak. ...

One cache I found, I couldn't close again due to all the swag in it. I ended up removing several items so that I could close the lid. I placed the items in the next few caches I found.

Edited April 18, 2011 by Andronicus

April 18, 2011

I like to go caching with the kids; they enjoy the find but love the idea of exchanging items not always knowing who has owned it before then almost treating it like a TB by passing onto another cache for someone else to take. As much as they thoroughly enjoy the discovery of a new cache, they do not like recording TN, LN just because of the tat they found in them. (dog treats, twigs, marbles, small change, damp stickers, free cd's from inside magazines etc.)

The other common issue they have been disappointed by recently is the declaration that there is a TB in the inventory only to find...it's not there!

April 19, 2011

I just found a used razor.

April 19, 2011

Yeah, if it's trash, I remove it. (As already discussed, I'm careful to distinguish true trash from things I'm just not interested in, especially since the latter category includes nearly all swag in caches.)

I think that keeping trash out of caches will do more to encourage other cachers to keep up the swag quality than any number of exhortations.

Those intent on adding swag to improve the quality should keep in mind the part about trading, not just contributing. I've seen far more overstuffed caches than empty ones. Lots of cachers like to bring gifts for the cache but don't really want to take anything. The result is that if I have to carry out some swag to keep a cache from being overstuffed, it's likely that only the best stuff ever makes it to another cache. Things that I would normally leave, end up thrown out because there's simply no place to put them. Don't add to this problem by contributing swag without taking any.

Edward

April 19, 2011

We found a doll at one recently. My daughter practically bowled us over in her attempt to secure that. So we took one item stuffing the whole cache up and left a few smaller items in exchange. Now that cache is open for business again.

As for the junk issue, sometimes, I acquire some estate jewelry from auctions. I'll drop off the smaller items all the time because the little girls luv 'em. Been told recently that some of that 'junk' was worth some money. Oh well. Hope some little girl enjoys them.

April 19, 2011

I have an excellent cache idea: I'll make the coords my front side walk. The cache conatainer is about 5 feet tall, and is available for trading items every monday morning before 10am. I'll be sure to fill it full of swag during the week...

HAHAHAHA! Amen.

April 19, 2011

Not long ago I took out of a cache a vial full of cologne - one of those little bottles they give as samples.

The cache was in a tree in the largest green area of the city (think Central Park). The cologne fit with the romantic theme of the cache, but wild animals (mainly birds, snakes, rabbits, squirrels and other small rodents) do live there, and food or scented items can disturb them. So it wasn't really trash, but it didn't belong in a cache either.

Trash Swag in Caches

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