How do you solve a problem like MOOP?

[Sam]

This last event MOOP became a real issue.
With so many people at AfrikaBurn this year the garbage, and so the MOOP problem, seems to have increased exponentially.
I had people asking me if I knew where they could dump their garbage. I saw people dumping their garbage on other people's garbage piles, I even saw very sneaky people dumping their garbage next to other people's tents!
And then the sadness of seeing all those black bags left along the side of the dirt road on the way out of Tankwa.
It broke my heart.

We have to figure this out before we head to the desert next year.
We need to find a way of raising consciousness around this issue, so that everyone knows : what you bring with you to the desert, you take back with you to your home.
No matter what form, shape or state of decay it is in.

If we can figure out a way to engage with it that is fun and playful, we'll go a long way to getting this idea to sink in.
Any ideas out there?

[Travis]

Hey Sam,

I think, as with all the challenges that face AfrikaBurn, a creative solution is called for. Hell, let's call it a funtervention. Put a call out for MOOP Patrol dressed up as metermaids/security guards/Mr Plod. Have a MOOP team collect this stray trash, and plonk it the gate. Then have a gate check where every vehicle leaving has to show their trash; if they have none - uhhh, how did that happen? - then they must have left it on site.

Ding! You have failed ze Trash Test. Do not pass go, until you collect a bag or two of trash.

This would at least significantly reduce the amount left behind, but then there's the issue of roadside event MOOP. Dry-by trashings. Sif, and in an area of the Karoo that's so pristine, so wrong. It's a bitch that can only be solved through communication, so signage might have to be that solution. But the concept of ownership has to come through more, as in 'it's your event, which you create, why are you taking a dump on your own doorstep?' Once people feel personally involved, they won't be so ready to act carelessly.

Matter Out Of Place? Manners Out Of Place, more like.

[mikesuss]

Just a quick thought: I think one of our problems is that there is no easy convenient place to dump trash en route back to CT. No-one loves travelling with heaps of trash in their vehicle for too long, and most would ideally love to be rid of it before reaching home. Leaving Burning Man there is an easily accessible dump en route. I think having the same for AB would be very useful...

[Paul Greenfella]

The funtervention is superb.................

Yet the solution besides asking peeps to take out trash is to liaise with the municipalities in Ceres and Tousriver or recycling entrepreneurs in those locations to provide drop off points...... Peeps are just gona have to learn how to recycle, incinerate what they can not a be respectful................

I am unfortunately not in the know how of who, just a possible solution to how.......

PS on the way out of the burn after DPW left the site, a local Police reservist and farmer I know in Ceres was really nose out of joint about the rubbish dropped on the side of his farm, please note that he also has the lease to Karoo Poort.......

My 5c

[Travis]

Think these are fine suggestions indeed, a way to benefit the local community would be ideal.

Time to look for recyclers in the area, and teach people to practice separation on site? That's the ticket.

[Paul Greenfella]

Trav, the media/map/burn info that should be given out as peeps arrive would be the ticket, I will gladly help with the recycling input...........

[Sam]

@Paul Greenfella : Excellent, I like the way you think and do Paul!
The awesome Shani Judes is putting together a MOOP awareness proposal and I know she'd appreciate your help in whatever area.
She has some exciting ideas around recycling too.
Send her a mail (shani@afrikaburn.com) and make it happen.

[Paul Greenfella]

will do shot

[Ranger Bob]

Cool beanies

excellent example of community forum in action!

[S of the Playa]

Hi all - very keen to help with the moop situation.

These are my thoughts after 1 AB and 2 BM's...

The greeting system has to be worked on - we arrived at night and no-one was there to say: "This is a leave no trace event - pack it in, pack it out." It wasn't in your face enough, and then some.

We ran a theme camp and no-one spoke to us to tell our crew and extras about moop, what it is and what the implications are. We did it ourselves. Camps are key to solving this and need to be used to get information out there.

The line sweep and similar techniques need to be explained to theme camps and others. The line-sweep for example happens when the camp is completely removed and all vehicles had been moved out of the way. Walk in a line and pick up feathers, sequins, etc. Things that a lot of people are not even aware of.

And we hauled garbage back to Gauteng - no excuses Cape Town!