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Below you will find information on how to reduce trash, creating lighter, better-smelling trash, and recycling. You can also find out what things people left behind in our recycling archive and check out List O' Trash and Will Roger's Clean Up Report.
Remember: LEAVE NO TRACE! - Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!!
Waste Reduction and Recycle Resolutions to Reduce Trash
- Don't bring glass containers of any kind, or throw glass in fires. They shatter and create a miserable pickup chore. If you bring bottles, take them home with you and recycle them there (aluminum cans are recyclable in BRC). Choose crushable cans over plastic and glass, and crushable plastic over glass.
- Separate trash. Bring a mesh bag to dehydrate wet garbage "compost" or a 5-gallon sealable bucket to store. This will isolate and reduce the burden of rotting food refuse. Burnable trash should be separated from recyclable materials and wet materials.
- THINK AHEAD! Do not bring unnecessary product packaging. Choose less messy menu items (finger foods). Avoid leftovers (feed your neighbors). Bring pre-cooked food (store in zip-type bags for easy-to-eat food on the run).
- Reuse containers. For example, concentrated juice may be purchased in 12 ounce plastic bottles. Mix this into a gallon water jug, and use the original concentrate bottle to drink out of over and over.
- Choose crushable aluminum cans over plastic and glass. Aluminum cans can be brought to Recycle Camp.
- Bring your own reusable beverage container to the Café or cocktail parties - ideally one with a hook that's part of your outfit wherever you go. You can use your own reusable cup if you purchase coffee and other beverages at the Center Camp Café.
- Use a pail with tight-fitting lid for wet garbage. Wet stinks, dry doesn't. If you choose to dry out the garbage, make sure it's secure from wind.
- Avoid disposable utensils and paper products. Too much trash is a bigger problem than too much gray water.
- Onsite, prepare ONLY what you and friends will eat.
- Avoid handing out paper announcements.
- Do some food prep at home.
- Store cigarette butts in a candy tin.
Top 10 MOOP Avoidance TIPS: (MOOP = Matter Out Of Place)
- Clean as you go (you won't see it later as layers of dust accumulate). Monitoring your camp daily for litter will keep errant trash from getting buried in dust storms only to resurface during the spring inspection.
- Put a weight on, or tie down anything in your camp that can blow away.
- Don't throw anything on the ground. Why stop and stoop for it later?
- Smokers! Carry a portable ashtray (a sealable receptacle or put butts in your pocket) with you at all times. NEVER, EVER drop butts on the playa. Help stop making cigarette butts the #1 MOOP item.
- Don't use large glitter or bring feather boas.
- Police your campsite on a grid before leaving. Remove EVERYTHING.
- When unloading fire-wood, drilling/cutting any wood or PVC, put a drop cloth down on the playa surface first.
- For collecting and containing broken glass, nails, screws and other sharp objects: take an empty plastic water jug and cut the top off (3" diameter hole) so that the handle remains intact. Don't forget gloves. For dust that has glass, wood chips, bark or anything too small to pick up, sweeping up with a push broom into a dust pan and depositing in a bucket is best.
- If you plan to burn art or any large objects: bring shovels and metal containers to scoop up and remove any ashes. Put a pan or tarp under your vehicle to catch any fluids that may leak out onto the open playa. Do NOT throw bottles into fires, and don't leave them lying around just because you're done and can't find a trash bag. Carry it away with you, or find an appropriate receptacle.
- Absolutely do not throw ANY trash of any kind into the porta-potties. This includes "organic" materials and others that "decompose" over time in a large public septic system. Putting anything but human waste and TP into the potties clogs the pumping mechanisms and makes it all but impossible for our waste vendor to maintain potties during the event. We're already on probation with the Truckee/Tahoe Sanitation District over trash in our waste -- which very much threatens the survival of the event. "If it wasn't in your body, don't put it in the pottie!"
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