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| Members of the geocaching group help clear Suam stream in Anyang over the weekend. / Courtesy of Todd Gregory Lapman |
By John Redmond
A group of environmentalists turned the activity of geocaching into a way to help clean up Suam Stream in Anyang last weekend.
Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a GPS receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to stow or seek out containers, called "geocaches" or "caches," at hidden locations.
"We are essentially a leave-no-trace group. So, pretty much anytime we go out caching, we try to clean as we go," Seoul-based geocacher Todd Gregory Lapman said.
The weekend event was part of the "Cache In Trash Out" (CITO) program.
"Usually once or twice a year, geocaching headquarters offers a virtual souvenir or reward for making the extra effort to organize a cleanup day," Lapman said.
"We try at least once a month or once every other month to organize an event here in Korea. Any geocacher at any time can organize an event."
The weekend event coincided with Earth Day.
"HQ made the special reward available if anyone held an event this week," Lapman said.
"The cleanup event can be anywhere of our choosing. We have held them on mountain trails, parks and along streams."
The group chose the stream Anyang because it is notoriously dirty, especially after spring rains wash trash down.
"This was the second time we've cleaned there."
"We started along the road and came upon a parking area that locals have used as a dumping ground... and spent about three hours in that one spot," Lapman said.
The kind of trash runs the garbage spectrum.
"Yesterday we found more than normal. We also found lengths of rope, plastic hoses and a car bumper in the stream and even cleared an abandoned scooter from the weeds."
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