'Leave no trace' has become 'hide the evidence': Reno residents sick of being Burning Man base camp

[RandySF]

The way to know that garbage came from Burning Man, says Bryan Heller, the assistant director of Reno Public Works, is to probe its surface. If the trash is covered in chalky white dust, you can be darn sure it spent seven days on the alkali sands of Black Rock City, where the annual Burning Man event is held.

The dust isn't so much of an issue for Reno residents, though there are rumors that it's led to clogged hotel plumbing and busted washing machines. What really mellows the cool of the Nevada town's citizenry is the garbage itself. Burning Man attendees — returned from a week of self-discovery and partying on the "playa" — have the propensity to dump trash illegally around the city upon return to civilization.

"Take a drive around Reno in the days following Burning Man, and you will easily see illegally dumped trash just about everywhere," said Reno resident Garrett York. "It'll be covered in playa dust."

Public works has seen "everything from coolers and bicycles to RVs" dumped in Reno after Burning Man. Heller estimates about half-a-dozen camping vehicles get ditched each year in the city. His guys sometimes pick up enough garbage to fill six 30-yard dumpsters.
That's about 400 curbside garbage bins of trash.

Kristen Rothe O'Donnell said the Whole Foods parking lot "looks like a football tailgate" post-Burning Man. "Every trash bin will be overflowing."




https://www.sfgate.com/travel/burningman/article/Burning-Man-garbage-reno-dumping-leave-no-trace-13186812.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

[Tipperary]

1. Good to know millennials care about the environment.

[SWBTATTReg]

2. Nice. I expected more out of these people but what am I to say? Perhaps there are a few of ...

the attendees of the 'Burning Man' who do try to pick up after themselves, but obviously not enough of them. Kind of getting to be like the cities along the Florida coastline putting up with the aftermath of Spring Break every Spring. Cities are passing ordinances against these events and attempting to regulate these out of control events...which get too big and out of control, and eventually ruin it for everyone.

[Mariana]

3. What is the attendance? 60-some thousand for a week, right?

His guys sometimes pick up enough garbage to fill six 30-yard dumpsters.
That's about 400 curbside garbage bins of trash.

It sounds like it's only a tiny percentage who illegally dump their trash in Reno after the event.

[SWBTATTReg]

4. Shoot, I don't know how many attend. If it's 60K, that's a lot of people. Like I said, I'm sure...

that there are those who pick up trash afterwards, but still, they (local residents) are still suffering the aftermath of this event. But, I'm sure that there are others in the area who prize the visitors and the money they bring to the area.

[Mariana]

5. If 60-some thousand people, after a week long event

are leaving only the equivalent of 400 curbside bins of trash laying around illegally, then they are doing a spectacular job of cleaning up after themselves.

[SWBTATTReg]

6. Yeah, I have to laugh, you're absolutely right!! Take care. NT

[mopinko]

7. 80k