Hi All,
This is a very interesting point and one that I had not really considered as a cacher before. As someone who has spent there fair share of time over the past few years hunting for small tupperware containers in the countryside and even smaller magnetic caches in our cities, I thought I'd just present the flip side as I see it.
1. Each and every cache has to be listed by someone who is the owner of that cache. They are responsible for it's maintenance and upkeep. If anyone reports a problem with that cache the owner has to sort it out. Most people are very good about maintaining there caches, after all they've placed them so that people will enjoy finding them. If for whatever reason you can no longer maintain a cache somebody else will usually take it over. All caches need to have the permission of the land owner before they can be placed and the people at geocaching.com will not publish any cache without the landowners permission.
2. I don't drive anywhere to go geocaching. I go places and, if there are caches there, I might find them. In the 5 years since I've been caching, I can't think of a single instance where I've specifically visited a place to find a cache. I realise this may not be true of everyone (In fact I know it's not), but that doesn't mean people drive to them. Geocaching is an outdoors pursuit and so lots of cyclists, runners and walkers combine their interests. Some take it to the extreme:
http://blog.geocaching.com/2013/06/worlds-oldest-unfound-geocache-is-found-getting-the-ftf-after-12-years
I think the point here is that generally geocachers like being outside (If they didn't this probably isn't the hobby for them). They like the countryside, they don't want to do it harm.
3. Thousands of geocachers around the world participate in Cache In Trash Out, or CITO Events - an ongoing environmental initiative supported by the worldwide geocaching community. More details are here: http://www.geocaching.com/cito/
I do think the idea of bio-degradeable cache containers is a great idea. There are 6 million geocachers worldwide, all of them middle-class apparently, so there's definitely a business opportunity there.
Thanks,
Charlie.
________________________________________
From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Phil Chambers [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 20 September 2013 07:46
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: geocaching
Hi Ian Hopefully will see a business opportunity for bio degradable containers. Regards Phil
________________________________________
From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ian Blackwell [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 19 September 2013 22:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: geocaching
hi all
Sorry to sound like a party pooper but I'd like to raise the issue of geocaching as a sustainable hobby. There are now 2.2m geocaches worldwide, according to geocaching.com. When you look at them, they are almost all found in plastic containers - so that's 2.2m [and rising] plastic containers hidden in the countryside around the world - if they were floating in the sea we'd be outraged or laying by the side of the road, but because they are hiding for middle-class people to find it's all ok. They also encourage people to travel great distances by car to seek them out, adding to global CO2 emissions. Maybe something to consider?
Ian
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