The Burner's Guide To Leaving No Trace

[Simon of the Playa]

the less you bring in the less you have to take out.

seriously.


thanks to our friends at AfrikaBurn for the Graphic

[ygmir]

good find, Simon.
My only issue with that, is, probably half the stuff I bring, is for others, or in case others need it.

[mytripod]

I made a point of swinging by the recycle place every other day to drop off my recycle stuff. Don't let it pile up. Just assign somebody to drop stuff off regularly so you don't have much at the end when they close. It's a fun place anyway.

[mytripod]

Oh, and try not to get run over or cause bicycles to crazy-dodge you because you are fixated on chasing a piece of MOOP that somebody dropped. Yes, I was that crazy person zigzagging after that little wrapper blowing in the wind.

[^Rhino!]

Remember, LNT means 'leave no trace", not 'leave no trance", you funny people.

[forty_eight]

[FIGJAM]

[Earthwalker]

I wonder how many cig butts they pick up, and how they pick them up. If I lower myself to smoking (advice: don't start young and you'll be fine) I'll put mine in an altoid box. But I can't imagine that the average burner, especially ones just going for the party, are going to care enough, or be sober enough, to do that. I envision a metric shit ton of butts on the ground (makes for a great image....butts on the ground).

And cig butts are never fun to pick up. They should put them all in one large pile then make a service announcement. Or build them into an art project for the following year

[Savannah]

Cigarette butts are among the top MOOP of actual MOOP found, however, they're not all over the ground by any means.

Most people do bring a candy tin or similar, yes.

AntiM makes fancy ones and gifts them!

[unjonharley]

I'll bring a coffe can to attach to a post in the front of camp..

I get a lot of large tins over a year.. Could gift them to other camps for street, butt cans.. Some of the rest of us can help by bringing gift coffee tins for butt cans

[Earthwalker]

Cigarette butts are among the top MOOP of actual MOOP found, however, they're not all over the ground by any means.

Most people do bring a candy tin or similar, yes.

AntiM makes fancy ones and gifts them!

Wow, that's great. Surprised people actually do that. Would think the drunken fools would just throw them everywhere. Well done, drunken fools

[Savannah]

Cigarette butts are among the top MOOP of actual MOOP found, however, they're not all over the ground by any means.

Most people do bring a candy tin or similar, yes.

AntiM makes fancy ones and gifts them!

Wow, that's great. Surprised people actually do that. Would think the drunken fools would just throw them everywhere. Well done, drunken fools

Indeed. One does see a few butts on MOOP sweeps but it's not like the default world with butts everydamnwhere.

The most visible wicked MOOP (before the end of the event) is probably in the bathrooms near the large sound camps late at night. The portos are very, very good compared to what they used to be (serviced several times a day) but the size of the crowds drawn to those areas can make the portos in high traffic areas chaotic between midnight and until the service trucks arrive at dawn. Messy, and with random things stashed inside (spent glowsticks, drink containers) because not everyone remembers to carry a bag. Drunken lizard brain says "don't let it hit the playa!" and people will sometimes just leave stuff in the portos.

(These are the same folks who do not take a canteen or camelback, and then rave all night and want your water).

[unjonharley]

Lot of butts are from other activity the playa host during the year..

Burning Man traffic take the dust off the butts.. I have picked up heavy dusted fire cracker (hundreds) the first morning of BM

[lucky420]

if you find yourself without a tin, just put the butt in a pocket or backpack.

Make sure the butt is out first

[unjonharley]

One fire I worked, had a different twist..

This farmer and wife came in the house for lunch.. After they had gone back to work.. The house started to smoke.. The fire truck was called and the fire put out..
The fire started at a kitchen chair with a sweater on it.. Nothing else was near to catch..

The farmer had left his sweater after lunch.. He was used to putting his pipe in the pocket.. When they had returned to work in the afternoon, He had left the sliding door ajar.. This made a draft of air to a forgotten ember in the pipe.. Made a smoky mess ..

Put your butt out

[lemur]

leave no trace.

stay home

[Earthwalker]

if you find yourself without a tin, just put the butt in a pocket or backpack.

Make sure the butt is out first

Hahah, excellent recommendation!! Yeah though, without a filter, it gets swallowed...possibly while still lit b/c that makes the girls go "heeeeeyyyyyoooooo". With filter, it gets flicked, then put in back pocket. I envision myself picking up MOOP as I see it. I hate trash sullying our reputation.

Best way to leave no trace is live by yourself in the woods. Construct your house from fallen trees. Live at least a few hundred feet from the river/lake. Grow your own food in a diverse garden. Can and pickle food and store in root cellar. Insulate house with foliage. Warm in stove using fallen trees. Eat animals from overpopulated species (deer, wolves in some areas, etc.).

I seriously think I'd be happy doing that. Get completely out of this rat race. Give me my chedda!

[Earthwalker]

Put your butt out

Hehehehe...yeah, what they said

[lucky420]

Yep it's good to pick up moop as you see it. I was being a good citizen last year while walking down 4:00 last year by our camp (Dye with Dignity) when I saw some moop in the road. Bent down to pick it up and BAM! was caught hippie fishing

I yelled FUCK! and just burst out laughing. The camp doing the fishing started laughing too. They offered a beer and a hug.

In my defense the dollar was covered in dust and I am extremely near sighted. Think Ms. Magoo...I really just thought it was a scrap of paper.

[Dr. Pyro]

And to think, I always thought "hippie fishing" was done with a bag of weed. I use dollar bills for "yuppie fishing", but maybe that's just me.

[robbidobbs]

I'm stumped. I made a memorial collage thats about 3"x3" from card stock.
I want to burn it at the temple but I've no way to ensure the little bits of newspaper clippings don't peel off in the wind.
I am so open to suggestions. contact paper and other plastics are a big no no.
Thanks

[unjonharley]

I'm stumped. I made a memorial collage thats about 3"x3" from card stock.
I want to burn it at the temple but I've no way to ensure the little bits of newspaper clippings don't peel off in the wind.
I am so open to suggestions. contact paper and other plastics are a big no no.
Thanks

:idea:Some thing that is clear,non toxic and maybe organic maple syrup

[theCryptofishist]

This gets the glue really thin spread--I'm not sure how it holds up to the wind.

[Eric]

You can try a milk-glue, but I'm not sure how clear it dries (it's basically school paste, but you can make it at home from, of course, milk)

[dod0]

the less you bring in the less you have to take out.

seriously.

thanks to our friends at AfrikaBurn for the Graphic

LOVE this pic, LOL

[robbidobbs]

The most visible wicked MOOP (before the end of the event) is probably in the bathrooms near the large sound camps late at night. The portos are very, very good compared to what they used to be (serviced several times a day) but the size of the crowds drawn to those areas can make the portos in high traffic areas chaotic between midnight and until the service trucks arrive at dawn. Messy, and with random things stashed inside (spent glowsticks, drink containers) because not everyone remembers to carry a bag. Drunken lizard brain says "don't let it hit the playa!" and people will sometimes just leave stuff in the portos.

Thank you Savanna for bringing this up. The portos are what I call "public space" that gets moopified quickly due to "degradation of resources". I'll explain.
If someone sees a piece of moop (can in the john, tp on the ground) then they get the mistaken idea that it's ok to be there, and more accumulates. The potties quickly become a moop catastrophe, usually overnight. The only way to resolve this is to make the pottie-bank as clean as your camp front yard. It's everyone's space, and if there's moop now, in a short while a dirt storm could kick up and blow that craziness into YOUR camp. We don't want that.

I can't fix stupid, and drunk people do leave beverage containers in the temples of smell by accident. It's still not ok, pack your own moop out. And please don't leave "gifts" of baby wipes, girl stuff, incense or other paraphernalia in there, because we don't want it going into the hole EVER.

The trick is to get the message into everyone's head while they're sober so it sticks enough for when they're not. Taking responsibility isn't just about your ass, it's about the community. Be the burn you want.

One excellent participation idea is to go to the pottie bank with a plastic bag (a grocery bag should be adequate) and moop the area when you get a chance. Just open the doors and check for moop too, as we don't want that nonsense kicked out either. If you see that someone crapped on the seat (don't worry about piddle), then zip the door. Nobody wants to get "hovered". That's just fucked up. If you must hover, then lift the seat and the lid to do your biz, then I don't give a shit what you do.

I wear an apron all day, every day. It has huge pockets, one dedicated just for moop. Several times a day it gets emptied. Sometimes the burn is about feeling the enormity of the beauty all around you, and making the ground you walk on that much better.

RobbiDobbs
Chief Poopervisor of the Pottie Project

[BBadger]

Thank you Savanna for bringing this up. The portos are what I call "public space" that gets moopified quickly due to "degradation of resources". I'll explain.
If someone sees a piece of moop (can in the john, tp on the ground) then they get the mistaken idea that it's ok to be there, and more accumulates. The potties quickly become a moop catastrophe, usually overnight. The only way to resolve this is to make the pottie-bank as clean as your camp front yard. It's everyone's space, and if there's moop now, in a short while a dirt storm could kick up and blow that craziness into YOUR camp. We don't want that.

It's kind of like a "Broken Windows theory" of policing.

[chuckularone]

It's kind of like a "Broken Windows theory" of policing.

I never realized that was a thing, but it sure makes sense.

[shroom]

It's kind of like a "Broken Windows theory" of policing.

True. If an abandoned building looks unkempt and has broken windows it's more likely to keep getting vandalized. If it's in good shape and someone is keeping the outside nice it might be abandoned for years and no one will bother it.

If a potty is clean i think it will more likely stay clean as well.

[robbidobbs]

Gawd I hope so!

Wow I wasn't familiar w the term and I'm a sis I geek. Here's the telling phrase from Wikipedia:
"Or consider a pavement. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of refuse from take-out restaurants there or even break into cars."

It gets worse! What I see post event is people get the mistaken idea the potties are where to put your camp trash.
Thank you again Savanna for letting us know the official name of this phenomenon.