What is LNT?

eave No Trace is well, just that. Several hundred people camping, burning, partying, eating, driving, sitting, peeing and doing all the things we do at burns makes for a real impact on our physical environment. Our goal is to minimize that impact in all the ways we can.  There will be no community trash pick up on site. If you have trash you need to carry it home with you.

Plan Ahead and Prepare!

1. Keep the MOOP factor in mind as you plan. What does your foot print look like? Will you have to dig into the ground to secure any of your structures? Will your installation leave a burn scar? Are you planning decorations for your theme camp that could blow away or come apart? Keeping the LNT philosophy in the back of your mind as you plan will help you raise questions you might not have before.

2. Think in the long term. How are you lighting your structure or yourself? A million glow sticks = a MOOP nightmare and a huge amount of trash you have to haul off site. The long term solution- think el wire and rechargeable batteries.  Not only is it cool and workable, but is able to be used night after night and burn after burn. The same thought can be applied to the gifts you bring. Volunteer your time at the burn, rather than making a whole bunch of items that may be thrown away at or after the burn. You are a great renewable resource and the gift of time leaves no trash behind. If you are going to serve food, please try to have people bring their own plates and utensils rather than handing out paper plates and plastic utensils. The less stuff you bring with you the less you have to take home. Think about the long term solutions to your wants and see if there is something you can use or bring that is renewable or long lasting.

3. DeMOOP as you pack. Everything we buy today is packaged in something else and that all becomes trash with the potential of becoming MOOP. Remove all unnecessary packaging before you pack and bring it. The less MOOP potential you bring with you, the less trash you have to haul off site.

4. Where is your trash going? You plan how to get everything you want and need packed into your car/truck/school bus, but do you plan for the bags of garbage that must go home with you? And, where are you going to drop it when you are done? Leaving it at rest stops or throwing it in dumpsters on your way home isnt being conscious of the larger community. Burn barrels will be available on site for you to burn all that can be burned, but the rest must go with you. Burn what trash you can. Anything paper, food, cardboard, etc. can all be burned at any of the public burn barrels. If you need help finding some place to burn your trash stop by and ask the helpful volunteers at Connexus.

5. Grey Water. Grey water from coolers is okay to dump on the ground. Water with chemicals, large food debris, human waste, etc. is not. The physical environment is more permissive than the playa, but we would like to not abuse it and food on the ground attracts animals.

6. Leave What You Find: "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but tracks" 

7. Minimize Fire Impacts. No open fires are allowed at Alchemy. Please burn only in designated firepit areas, or bring a fire bowl! Please do not leave any open fires unattended!

Share your LNT plan with your fellow Alchemists on the Alchemy Talk list!!