There has never been a better day to care for the geocaching game board (our planet!) than today — regardless of whether you live somewhere that celebrates Earth Day.
Take a moment to think about the most beautiful place you’ve ever gone geocaching. Got it? Now consider: will that place continue to exist without the efforts of people who care for it? How can you be one of those people?
The answer may depend on the space you thought of and your situation in life. But here are six suggestions to jump-start your contributions this week…and beyond.
1. Sign up for a CITO event this weekend.
Not only is attending a Cache In, Trash Out (CITO) event a great way to give back to our planet, if you attend one this weekend you’ll also earn a souvenir for your geocaching profile. Find a CITO event near you.
2. Find an EarthCache near you.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” said Nelson Mandela. What better way to heed his words than by finding an EarthCache and learning something new about a geological “cache” the earth has stored.
3. Do some human-powered caching.
If you normally drive a car when you go geocaching, think about how you could change things up to lower your ‘caching carbon footprint. Are there geocaches within walking or biking distance that you haven’t found? Maybe it’s time to figure out the public transit system and use it to find some city ‘caches. Think about finding some geocachers in your area and carpooling with them on geocaching trips!
4. Resolve to change a habit.
If New Year’s Eve is the night to kick off a new personal health habit, then Earth Day should be the day that kicks off a habit that helps you be a better environmental guardian. Perhaps this means taking half the time to shower as you normally do, or considering the environmental impact of the production of the food you eat and making some changes.
5. Retrieve your archived caches.
This one’s a must. Maybe you archived your cache a few months back and haven’t had “a chance” to pick it up yet. Put away the guilt and GO PICK IT UP!
6. Go outside.
When’s a good time to go outside? After you’ve finished reading the last word of this article. Seriously. The more time you spend outdoors, the more you’ll understand why it’s important to care for our natural spaces. Invite a friend, the kids, or the dog for a walk. Breathe in and out. Ready, set, GO.
Happy Earth Day everybody!
