Convincing People To Cito

[+wildearth2001]

What is the best way to convince people to cito around your caches

[+bons]

Have trash bags already in them so if they forget to bring one, they're not stuck.

I notice I spot the trash on the way in and pick it up on the way out. I really don't need the bag until after I sign the log (or give up, depending).

[+DustyJacket]

I agree with Bons.

I place "official CITO" trash bags in my caches, and add them periodically.

If someone uses one to collect trash, I want the landownder to know it.

 

You cannot MAKE someone CITO. They have to want to. By putting trash bags in the cache, you might be giving them the means to do so, and maybe even the idea to do so.

[+DustyJacket]

I notice I spot the trash on the way in and pick it up on the way out.

I do the same, but there have been many times I've seen the trash on the way in, intending to pick it up on the way out, then leaving by a different route for one of many reasons.

 

Argh!

[+webscouter.]

I never see anything on the way in except my GPS screen.

[+DustyJacket]

I never see anything on the way in except my GPS screen.

That is one way to fall down that cliff.

(Did you notice how close to a cliff bank the last turn was on my night cache?

 

If you went left instead of re-tracing to the right....down you go in 20 feet or so.......

I didn't notice that when planning it out, just when placing it. Oops.

[+Renegade Knight]

If there is a bag in the cache I'm more likely to pick up more trash on my way out than I normally would.

[+team safari]

I always put trash bags in our caches and other people's too to encourage CITO. Today we were at an interesting meeting regarding making the Tumacacori Mtns, AZ into a wilderness area or not. There were many people there on both sides of the issue, and it was pretty adversarial and political. We were at the base of the mountains that were being discussed, but the immediate area was pretty trashy. I got a trash bag out of our cache bag, put on my new Geocachers baseball cap, and started picking up trash right there on the site! Well it was very interesting the reaction I got, especially from the environmentalists. They looked at me as if I were crazy - they just didn't get it, or wouldn't they have pitched in? Do they not see the relationship?

[+ironman114]

Way to go Team Safari!

 

You set a good example I hope someone was noticing. I really hate the slobs a lot of people have become. It seems to get worse everywhere. I am not what people consider an eco-freak just the opposite, but I do hate trash!

[+Imajika]

I was at a cache by a roadside today and there was some trash around. I had a stash of walmart/kmart bags in my car so I started picking up the litter. As I was doing it, a cop drove by slowly. When he saw what I was doing, he nodded and just drove away.

 

Not only is it a responsible thing to do but it can get you out of a jam. I am sure if I was just walking around in circles by the side of the road, that cop would have stopped. It's also a good way of getting rid of the non caching folks (especially in high traffic areas). As soon as they see you picking up trash, they just keep on walking.

 

I have never found a cache with trash bags inside but I think it's an excellent idea as long as you keep it stocked with bags. If you do that, no one can say they forgot a bag and couldn't CITO.

[+rusty_tlc]

What is the best way to convince people to cito around your caches

Lead by example. Visit your cache often and police the area. Add a note to the cache page every time you visit and clean up, this will act as a reminder to others that you care about the site. Make a prominent statement on the cache page asking people to help. Facilitate this by providing bags (as previously suggested).

[+bigredmed]

Give them a reason to do so. I recently put a cache in a rec area that due to budget cuts is getting less maintenance than before. I put that in the cache description and asked users to cito. I feel that this will motivate someone to help keep the place nice while the budget is getting squeezed.

 

Also, try not to over do it. There is an old story about a boy who cried wolf. There is a new story about a cacher who cried CITO! Eventually, everyone else was numb to the calls.

[+DustyJacket]

There is a virtual cache in KC where you are supposed to CITO and send a photo to the cache "owner". Then they will send you the coordinates of a "bonus cache" which is a traditional cache with a logbook and goodies.

 

Unfortunately, I did this virtual right after the city cleaned up the area for memorial day, and there was no trash.

 

[edited for spelling]

Edited January 11, 2004 by DustyJacket

[+GeoBond007]

While reading this post I got to thinking, which makes my head hurt. While I do cito and do my part I never write in my log or the log book. So from now I'm going to write it in the log book and then in my find post which will hopeful get people thinking about it.

 

GeoBond007

[+ironman114]

While reading this post I got to thinking, which makes my head hurt. While I do cito and do my part I never write in my log or the log book. So from now I'm going to write it in the log book and then in my find post which will hopeful get people thinking about it.

 

GeoBond007

just make it on a positive note. Not this place is a mess too much for one person type of thing. Maybe say something like " I picked up some trash and the place is cleaner now if you see some I missed would the next person take some out too."

 

That way others aren't discouraged to go to the cache.

[NightThree]

I use CITO canisters (used 35mm film containers) to encourage people; they're kind of like a signature item for me. I'd love to see more people doing it! There's a thread that's been active lately in the forum about them; I linked to the labels I made in here - http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...ndpost&p=331611 - and there's a lot of great info in that thread, too. They don't take up too much space, it's free (if you can get 35mm containers and plastic bags), and it's really fun. Good luck!

Edited January 13, 2004 by NightThree

[axcion]

Also, try not to over do it. There is an old story about a boy who cried wolf. There is a new story about a cacher who cried CITO! Eventually, everyone else was numb to the calls.

 

Except those of us that showed up! It's a pity those cachers in the city that benefitted, neglected to show up. ..save 2...the rest of us drove the hour plus to get there! Those that showed up, generally had a pretty good time, and there was a considerable bit of stuff removed.

[+reveritt]

CITO might be good "cover" for snooping around for a cache. Pick up that trash on the way in, with the bag in full view, and you can probably walk right up to the cache location without arousing suspicion. Of course, walking with a trash bag in one hand and a GPSr in the other might look a bit odd, so try not to make the GPS too obvious.

[+cachefamily]

You guys/gals gave me a great idea. I'm working on a multi in a much needed trash out park. I was trying to figure what to put in the middle stage besides the co-ords to the last stage. Trash bags for all who want them!

[pocketcacher]

Convincing people to do something is like pulling teeth from a baby.Instead make it a fun activity.

[+Zule]

We went on one cache were there was a HUGE spoiler comment that said something like "cache is about 10 feet from a pile of trash at the base of the tree" ~ After we found the cache, there were trashbags provided in the cache (which just slayed me) ... so we cleaned up the trash, which made the spoiler's comment moot and continued our hike out with the bag ... we know we did the right thing. We all have been on hikes where it may be difficult to trash out, but when I can, I do.

[+sept1c_tank]

I was at a cache by a roadside today and there was some trash around. I had a stash of walmart/kmart bags in my car so I started picking up the litter. As I was doing it, a cop drove by slowly. When he saw what I was doing, he nodded and just drove away.

 

Not only is it a responsible thing to do but it can get you out of a jam...

Good point.

[+pater47]

I will agree with what has already been said in this thread several times. Having trash bags in the caches does encourage it. Not only does it give the means for hauling out even a small bag of trash, it also plants the thought in the cacher's mind. As I type this, I'm taking a break from stuffing film canisters (go by any photo processing place - they'll probably give you a garbage sack full) with WalMart bags and a plastic glove.

 

A while back, trashing out earned me serious points with a National Park Ranger. Although the cache wasn't on NPS land, I did walk across NPS land to get to it and back. As I approached the parking area on my return, an NPS Ranger was waiting on me. He asked me if I would show him what was in the black trash bag. I figured he thought I was hauling out NPS mushrooms or ginseng or something. He smiled when he saw the trash bag contained, uh, trash.

 

Turns out he was already familiar with geocaching and knew which one I had probably come from. He even told me about an easier way to get to it. Yeah, NOW he tells me!

[+ironman114]

while recently viviting a cache I locked my keys in my car. While waiting for over an hour for my wife to come unlock it, I tried to think what to do for an hour.

 

Then I remembered seeing a cito bag placed in the cache. So I went back and retrieved it. I filled a large kitchen bag with trash and three more plastic supermarket bags with trash plus a pile of larger stuff. I loaded it all into the truck when my wife came.

 

If it had not been for that cito bag, there still would be a lot of trash there. It had been there waiting for a year for someone to use it. Later I did replace it with a new one for others to use.

[+Melrose Plant]

I always keep a supply of plastic grocery bags in the truck and I stuff one in my back pocket for the purpose. Recently, I haven't picked up much. It's under over a foot of snow!