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View Full Version : Garbage Wars! (a friendly litter patrol competition)



gregpphoto
03-25-2012, 05:04
I'm sure that when you go hiking, you pick up others trash along the way (its like Flavor Country where I hike based on how many butts I pick up on an average trek). Some of you may even participate in club cleanup trips and other volunteer work of the conservation ilk. Awesome! Now what if I told you that you could continue to help protect and preserve our natural world, and at the same time, lay down some trash talk on your buddies for having picked up the most garbage last month? Or showing off your trophy at the end of the year as the Andrew Skurka of Litter Patrol?

Well, consider it on fellows!! My father and I went for a stroll today in Cheesequake State Park in New Jersey and collected three household sized garbage bags of litter, plus a flower pot full of litter as well. Most all of it was plastic bottles, but some metal, a football, and even a piece of 2" thick rope. Its amazing the stuff that one finds out there. A Tide bottle. A Sprite can circa 1990s. Four flower pots of different sizes. It never ends sadly. But it also makes me feel good to clean it up, and to hopefully guilt passers by to lend a hand instead of just looking oddly at me. If everyone would just follow Leave No Trace and pick up just one piece of garbage when they hike, the woods would be clean pretty soon.. but why stop at just one piece? :)

I'd like to invite everyone here and anywhere and everywhere to participate. My intent with this is to create some friendly competition amongst outdoor enthusiasts of all walks, while letting nature reap all the benefits of our hard and much needed work. Lets get out there and make our planet shine! I didn't have my pocket digi with me today, but from now on I will post pictures to give everyone a push, and I hope you all will too. Whoever collects the most at the end of each month will get a gold sticker in the mail from me!!!!

For practical purposes, gloves are never a bad idea. Thicker garbage bags are best. And make sure you speak with a Ranger or other park employee as to where to leave the garbage once you have collected it. My dad and I brought ours home to recycle, but your park may have recycling dumpsters on site.

Lone Wolf
03-25-2012, 08:02
I'm sure that when you go hiking, you pick up others trash along the way

hell no i don't

RWheeler
03-25-2012, 09:46
I packed out 7lbs on a day hike yesterday.

WingedMonkey
03-25-2012, 09:55
Now that half of New Jersey has moved to Florida I though your trash problem would be reduced. Ours sure got worse. Seems after a quarter mile or less a half full water bottle isn't worth carrying back out. Once you get past the "I'm bored walking" beginning, the trails seem cleaner.

To tell the truth I no longer pick them up in those short sections, it helps discourage other transplants from wondering into the woods.

:sun

Spokes
03-25-2012, 10:28
I've always used the Jumbo size Hefty brand slide ziplock bags as my trash bag. Because the bag is so big the trash ends up packing flat instead of turning into a brick. Saves a bunch of space.

Love it!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hefty-Onezip-Jumbo-2.5-Gallon-14-3-8-In-X-16-In-Multi-Purpose-Bags-12-ct/11027203

Pick up others trash? Hmmmm. I did sometimes, but I was on a thru-hike not an inmate work release program...

coach lou
03-25-2012, 10:31
I just can't get over the fact that the same brain cells that brought all this trash all the way up here, to enjoy the beauty of the place, just leaves the stuff afterwards.

Sarcasm the elf
03-25-2012, 10:42
Gregphoto- awesome post.

I've never been that motivated pick up litter when section hiking, never wanted to carry it all in my pack, however I have found it to be rather rewarding to clean the trail up when I'm on a dayhike. Sadly it doesn't surprise me that you found three bags worth of trash in one day, I pulled that much garbage out of one campsite the first time I decided to pick up trash that others left behind.

coach lou
03-25-2012, 10:47
Gregphoto- awesome post.

I've never been that motivated pick up litter when section hiking, never wanted to carry it all in my pack, however I have found it to be rather rewarding to clean the trail up when I'm on a dayhike. Sadly it doesn't surprise me that you found three bags worth of trash in one day, I pulled that much garbage out of one campsite the first time I decided to pick up trash that others left behind.

Elf... we need a dumpster up at wiley shelter!...but, I'm in.... large contractor bag on all short works this year!

gregpphoto
03-25-2012, 12:21
Gregphoto- awesome post.

I've never been that motivated pick up litter when section hiking, never wanted to carry it all in my pack, however I have found it to be rather rewarding to clean the trail up when I'm on a dayhike. Sadly it doesn't surprise me that you found three bags worth of trash in one day, I pulled that much garbage out of one campsite the first time I decided to pick up trash that others left behind.

I use an old Kelty 6650 that is my winter pack for trash hauling. Once its lined with a plastic bag its fine. Look, nobody, including myself, likes handling and carrying other peoples waste (including bags of dog poop!) but my father, along with my time in the Scouts, taught me that you have to go beyond what most people are willing to do if you want to make an impact in this world. I know there will always be people like the first person to reply to this thread but if more people just pitched in with a littlest bit of effort, we could hand down to our children a wilderness much cleaner and pristine than when it was handed over to us.

gregpphoto
03-25-2012, 12:26
Darn, can't edit a post? I just wanted to add a thank you, Elf, and a thank you to Wheeler and Spokes, keep up the awesome work guys and gals!

Lone Wolf
03-25-2012, 12:26
I know there will always be people like the first person to reply to this thread but if more people just pitched in with a littlest bit of effort, we could hand down to our children a wilderness much cleaner and pristine than when it was handed over to us.

i used to "pitch in" but after many years of it, no more. i figure it's a ridgerunners job. what is their job really?

ScottP
03-25-2012, 13:13
I pick up some here and there on most hikes.

coach lou
04-02-2012, 08:17
Rt.7 & to Glen brook Shelter, 1 plastic grocery bag full. Mostly @ the shelter. Short walk- small bag!

rocketsocks
04-02-2012, 08:32
ok,so that's Wheeler-7lbs. Greg P Photo-6650 cubic inches Coach lou-1 full bag and Mr Lone Wolf-0 goose egg.Can I use the TV I picked up back in 05':D

coach lou
04-02-2012, 09:24
ok,so that's Wheeler-7lbs. Greg P Photo-6650 cubic inches Coach lou-1 full bag and Mr Lone Wolf-0 goose egg.Can I use the TV I picked up back in 05':D
I'm sorry sir, My superior needs photo documentation of that.

One Half
04-04-2012, 18:17
I packed out 7lbs on a day hike yesterday.


I think it should go by weight to determine who picked up the most.