Cache Trash ---Why?

[+niraD]

3 hours ago, grimpil said:

Gee!  Don't give the imps ideas!

I don't think the "imps" read these forums. And I think they come up with such ideas on their own, based on what I've seen happen to some local caches.

[+GEO COWBOYS]

My goal is to hide 3 caches starting next month. Depends on how fast the Geo Shop ships. I want all my caches child friendly. Lots of nice small toys to bring a smile to a child's face.

 

I get irritated when I find a cache that has candy, gum, rocks, expired coupons, ect in a cache. Candy, gum and cough drops melt in the heat causing the other things sticky and gooey. I usually trade swag for swag at value or up. If there is no good swag, I leave no swag. Trash all over the ground near the cache is wrong. This is totally against Geocaching idea to keep our country and forestland beautiful and scenic. If I see trash around my caches, I will clean it up. I am BIG on curb appeal. 

[+Max and 99]

18 minutes ago, GEO COWBOYS said:

My goal is to hide 3 caches starting next month. Depends on how fast the Geo Shop ships. I want all my caches child friendly. Lots of nice small toys to bring a smile to a child's face.

 

I get irritated when I find a cache that has candy, gum, rocks, expired coupons, ect in a cache. Candy, gum and cough drops melt in the heat causing the other things sticky and gooey. I usually trade swag for swag at value or up. If there is no good swag, I leave no swag. Trash all over the ground near the cache is wrong. This is totally against Geocaching idea to keep our country and forestland beautiful and scenic. If I see trash around my caches, I will clean it up. I am BIG on curb appeal. 

Do you think your caches will be immune? COs can't control the stuff people leave in caches. We can make visits to check on the caches and clean up, but we can't control what people take or leave.  You may want your caches child friendly, but unless you plan to check on the cache after every find, someone may leave something not for kids or take everything. 

 

And fyi, Shop Geocaching shops fast! I usually receive my package 2-4 days after ordering.

[+GEO COWBOYS]

That is true. It cannot be immune.  I hope to check up on it weekly for such trash inside and out plus maintenance if needed.  I will try my best to keep it stocked if the swag dwindles.

All I can do is hope for the best. At least for awhile.

[+BugLuv]

 

I am glad I read these message boards, so my expectations can be low. My plan is to release some TB to see what happens, with low expectations of outcome. I also plan to place a handful of caches at the end of longish trails, just for fun. I believe I will have few visitors but that is what I want. I love to hike, and have found some cool spots that would be nice to share. I also like the idea of putting something really awesome in a hard-to-reach cache occasionally (for free and for fun- : ) )

 

Overall, in my short career ; ), I have found that each adventure is full of ups and downs. Keeping expectations low, leads to more ups. I have had some really amazing experiences, learning about new areas, and finding cool new places. This is the best part for me!  Areas I have been all my life, but never new of a particular spot. Or, learning something new about a favorite old stomping grounds. So..I guess for me, I try to focus on the whole experience of exploration. 

 

I think the swag thing is fun. I have not found anything super valuable or interesting, but it is fun to move little items from cache to cache. Or keep a cool one. I like to have fun with the items. For example, I found a seal erasure that was looking really old/faded, so I spiffed it up with a pen (eyes, eyebrows, smile, bowtie) and passed it on to another cache. I bought a baggie of little dinosaurs for 25 cents at the second hand store. Also, I found cool keychains for 10 cents a piece at the second hand store. For me, if I keep the cost low and keep a sense of humor, I am a winner. Just recently, I have found some trashed caches or just plan junk in the cache, which is really sad to see. Also, missing TB. Kudos to the people that are making these situation better.

[+fuzziebear3]

10 hours ago, BugLuv said:

 

I am glad I read these message boards, so my expectations can be low. My plan is to release some TB to see what happens, with low expectations of outcome. I also plan to place a handful of caches at the end of longish trails, just for fun. I believe I will have few visitors but that is what I want. I love to hike, and have found some cool spots that would be nice to share. I also like the idea of putting something really awesome in a hard-to-reach cache occasionally (for free and for fun- : ) )

 

Overall, in my short career ; ), I have found that each adventure is full of ups and downs. Keeping expectations low, leads to more ups. I have had some really amazing experiences, learning about new areas, and finding cool new places. This is the best part for me!  Areas I have been all my life, but never new of a particular spot. Or, learning something new about a favorite old stomping grounds. So..I guess for me, I try to focus on the whole experience of exploration. 

 

I think the swag thing is fun. I have not found anything super valuable or interesting, but it is fun to move little items from cache to cache. Or keep a cool one. I like to have fun with the items. For example, I found a seal erasure that was looking really old/faded, so I spiffed it up with a pen (eyes, eyebrows, smile, bowtie) and passed it on to another cache. I bought a baggie of little dinosaurs for 25 cents at the second hand store. Also, I found cool keychains for 10 cents a piece at the second hand store. For me, if I keep the cost low and keep a sense of humor, I am a winner. Just recently, I have found some trashed caches or just plan junk in the cache, which is really sad to see. Also, missing TB. Kudos to the people that are making these situation better.

 

Love your attitude and approach!  I wish more people thought that way.

 

[Gabeman26]

I passed by a cache far away from home and found a packet of drink mix. I decided to grab it and toss it, you never know when it will rip and attract ants.

[+fuzziebear3]

29 minutes ago, Gabeman26 said:

I passed by a cache far away from home and found a packet of drink mix. I decided to grab it and toss it, you never know when it will rip and attract ants.

 

Good call there.  Somebody didn't know or didn't think about how a drink mix would attract critters. Consider all candy, food, gum as trash that needs to be removed from a cache.

 

[+MNTA]

1 hour ago, fuzziebear3 said:

 

Good call there.  Somebody didn't know or didn't think about how a drink mix would attract critters. Consider all candy, food, gum as trash that needs to be removed from a cache.

 

 

Seriously! No parent is going to let their kids eat anything from a cache they find. So simply don't do it!

 

Heck half of them are moldy, filled with putrid water, covered in cobwebs. You name it. Yuck! 

[KitsapScouts]

On 6/10/2017 at 8:22 AM, CascadeHandmade said:

Not many people follow the "trade even or up" rule of leaving something equally as nice (or better) than the SWAG item you take.

 

Why is that?  It's incredibly annoying.  You don't have to leave swag; just sign the logbook.  But if you're going to leave something, leave better than you take (no, a wet sticker is not "better" than anything other than a business card.)  We do appreciate things that little kids have obviously made, like the pipe cleaner bracelet, but leaving a penny is just rude.  At the very least, a bag of army men costs about a dollar and will get you through 50 caches.