NOTICE: This geocache will be archived and removed in early June to make room for some new geocaches to be published soon.
This cache was launched at the 2019 Earth Day Marsh Cleanup event GC82YX8. It is one of the eight geocaches placed for that event. Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day now includes events in more than 190 countries, which are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.
Pining for a cleaner planet
The average American tosses 4.4 pounds of trash every single day. It may not seem all that astonishing on the surface, but with 323.7 million people living in the United States, that is roughly 728,000 tons of daily garbage – enough to fill 63,000 garbage trucks. That is 22 billion plastic bottles every year. Enough office paper to construct a 12-foot-high wall from Los Angeles to Manhattan. It is 300 laps around the equator in paper and plastic cups, forks, and spoons. It is 500 disposable cups per average American worker – cups that will still be sitting in the landfill five centuries from now.
Now, more than ever, Americans are hopping on the recycling bandwagon. Last year marked the all-time high for recycling: 34.3 percent of our garbage, or 87.2 million tons, could have ended up in a landfill but didn’t.
But though recycling has increased in recent years, so has trash generation. More than 60 million plastic bottles still find their way to landfills and incinerators on a daily basis. Six times as many water bottles were thrown away in 2004 than in 1997. Clearly, there is still work to be done. And you can make a difference.
Whether we are a running out of landfill space in America is a hotly debated topic, but that doesn’t mean we should produce garbage like there is no tomorrow. Here are some tips to help reduce your personal waste:
- Bring reusable bags when you go shopping, and choose reusable containers for packing meals.
- Buy in bulk whenever possible.
- Compost your food scraps and yard waste whenever possible.
- Cut back on junk mail – you receive more than 30 pounds of it per year.
The cache:
The cache is a regular sized lock and lock hidden along the Mallard Trail. Please be sure to rehide it well.
Crosswinds Marsh Rules
No fires
No bikes / ATVs / personal watercraft
No swimming or ice fishing
Dogs must be leashed
No alcohol or illegal substances
No camping
Fishing in designated areas only
Collecting of plants & animals prohibited
Park only at N 42 05.744 W 83 26.552
All Geocachers must follow the above rules.
Crosswinds Marsh is open from DAWN to DUSK. Admission is free.
The Crosswinds Cache Crew pledge to develop and maintain quality and interesting geocaches in the Marsh consistent with Geocaching and Wayne County Parks rules and permit process. For more information on the Cache Crew and our endeavors, please visit us on the web at http://www.crosswindscaching.com and on social media.
This cache has been placed with the permissions of Wayne County Parks. Permit ED19-04 has been submitted and is on file at the park office.