[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
[at-l] LNT 8- Wimp-out!
Hello All -
Let's see...where were we? Ahhh yes, this message is about
Properly Dispose of What You Can't Pack Out
(a.k.a. the "Wuss Principle" <VBG>) This one (and fires!) always gets a
LOT of discussion.
As I said in "Pack It In, Pack It Out," I firmly believe that NOTHING we
take into the backcountry is good for the backcountry. Virtually
everything brought in by humans does some level of damage to one or more of
the various backcountry ecosystems. At some point the many small damages
add up to a major damage that goes way beyond the ability of the ecosystem
to self-repair. Our LNT goal should always be to keep all backcountry
ecosystems from getting damaged past that point of no (self-repair) return.
Not an easy task...we rarely have sufficient data to be able to accurately
predict the "straw that breaks the ecosystems back." For me, the safest
course of action (by far!) is to always be as gentle to the backcountry as
possible...trying hard to NOT add that critical straw!
But...I gotta fess up...sometimes I too am a wuss <g>. There just doesn't
seem to be ANY really good way to take care of all those obnoxious wastes
that we humans find so easy to generate. What DO we do if we can't find a
backcountry disposal method that does no damage...and removal is as bad or
worse?
I agree with Popeye... "I yam what I yam...I does what I can!"
Dish/bath water -
No soaps are good for the backcountry...some are just "less bad" than
others <g>. At best, they add unnatural levels of fertilizer (distorting
natural growth patterns) and at worst they poison critters or veggies they
come into contact with (our water supply seems especially vulnerable).
Soap residue sours (stinks) when we allow it to concentrate over time. As
far as I have been able to find out, detergents are MUCH worse than soap in
all areas of impact!
One way to minimize the impact of our clean-up is to use as little as
possible of as benign a soap as possible...and then to widely distribute
the gray water over a "safe" area (sloshes from the cleanup location and
the disposal area should be WELL away from an active watershed...at least
200' from any water source). The object is to introduce as little soap
into the ecosystem as possible and to distribute that little bit as widely
and safely as possible (more "pollution by dilution" <g>).
I always have to remind myself...when I finally find that perfectly safe
place to wash up and to dispose of the gray water - I have quite probably
found the exact same place that a LOT of other folks have used (and will be
using!). I just can't get away from that "incremental damage" clause in my
Thru-hiker Contract <VBG>.
Dishwater has an additional impact that (most <g>) bath water
doesn't...bits of garbage. Wet soapy garbage is at least as bad for the
backcountry as any other kind <g>. I teach my Scouts to strain their
dishwater (bandanna, little piece of screen, some of that fine-mesh nylon
net, etc.) and to put the food scraps into their "yum-yum" bag along with
any other garbage...and then to pack it out.
When I am with adults or solo, I choose to leave the soap at home (or in my
bounce box). I do a LOT of rinsing (my bod and my clothing) and clean my
pot/spoon with licking and boiling water <g>. I also rarely carry
toothpaste...that way I don't have to bother with finding a good way to
dispose of my toothpaste glop. If I do carry Crest, I use just a
match-head sized dab and then I swallow the foam (easy disposal...and it
makes for minty smelling poots <g>).
Grease -
I have never heard of any good way to dispose of it in the backcountry.
Grease pits always get dug up and we wind up with a sour stinking mess left
for the next bunch that camps in that area. A small fire rarely burns it
all and a big fire has its own LNT problems (more later <g>). I suppose we
could carry a leak-proof container and pack it out (I will let YOU sleep
with it in bear country...WAY away from me <g>). I opt out...I never pack
in any type of food that might produce grease.
Garbage (leftover or ruined foodstuffs) -
I only know of three good options: pack it out, don't make any, or let a
thru-hiker yogi it away from you <VBG>.
Items soaked with blood (tampons, pads, bandages, etc.) -
Triple bagging in plastic bags and packing it out is one choice (I am told
that crushed aspirin or used teabags will help keep the odor down). If
there is ANY chance that critters (bears, feral dogs, etc.) might be a
bigger problem than bear-bagging (or bear canisters) can handle, we might
want to consider burning the bloody items. It takes a pretty big fire and
a lot of attention (stirring, flipping, etc.) to completely burn any moist
object...but sometimes the downside of that fire impact (more later <g>) is
outweighed by very immediate safety considerations.
We don't want to attract really bad critters to our camp and we certainly
don't want to habituate them to human blood... I am told that careful
bear-protection (hanging, canisters, separation from camp area, etc.) will
work for black bears. If we are going into griz or polar bear country (NOT
anywhere along the AT <g>), it certainly pays to keep up with the most
current research on this subject!
Urine -
Not too big a deal. I am told that it isn't much of a medical problem
because urine is almost sterile when it comes out of our bodies. I do know
that urine is a big social problem...it stinks big time! Allowing it to
concentrate attracts critters who are after the salt deposits...they will
chew up any veggies we urinate on and we might not want them hanging around
camp (porkies, skunks, etc.). We can pee on the rocks (no problem getting
them chewed up, but it often makes a concentrated stink) or we can
distribute our urine widely (avoiding all but the smallest chew-tolerant
veggies). In some river canyons we are taught to pee into the river,
instead of anywhere in the very scarce (confined) beach camping areas. The
only time I usually pack urine out is on some caving trips. Remember to
respect everybody's privacy needs.
I teach my Scouts to get well off the trail or well out of camp (no fair
going into the next guy's camp site <g>)...and then to write their name as
they take a whiz. If they have a long name, they need to drink a LOT of
water <VBG>.
Dead horse -
One suggested solution is...no kidding...dynamite!
Feces -
This one is so important that I think it deserves its own posting <g>.
I will meet you at "LNT 9- Shinola"
- Charlie II AT (MEGA'93)
PCT (Mex@Can'95)
* From the Appalachian Trail Mailing List | For info http://www.hack.net/lists *
==============================================================================