Is All This Becoming TOO Popular?

SOB said:
People like US, need to be more proactive in preserving trails and educating. Maybe volunteer with the agencies, co's etc., that manage the particular land. Maybe the huge community of off road manuf's, suppliers should donate to the cause and not just monetary, but get out and put up signs where allowed, educate people for free, lobby with local gov about helping and educating.
Many of you said it in this thread about blaming the internet. I 100% agree, with all the YouTube content on off roading I can see where the interest is sparked. It sparked the interest in ME. That being said, the internet is not going away, so people like US need to do something about it instead of placing blame. Less people today are willing to exert themselves and go hiking using their feet and legs. EVERYONE has an SUV. Takes no physical effort to go drive on trails. How many kids do you see playing football, or baseball, or riding BMX bikes? They are all inside playing video games or texting or watching stupid media like tik tok. But...they saw cool video on YT and talked their parents into driving out in the wood, or desert or whatever.
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I agree with most of what you say. However, what you have just done is like walking into a church and saying "Have you heard about this thing called religion?".

There is a lot going on in spite of you not being able to see it. In fact not revealing information (e.g. location) plays a major role in helping to save our outdoors.

It seems to be well proven that a large portion of the population are idiots who think nothing about trashing our planet, and particularly the beautiful isolated places we enjoy.
 
HEY!! have you all heard about this thing called Jeeping? you buy a 4x4, go outdoors and explore places!

We should ALL buy Jeeps, find trails to go out on, organize and see what happens.

While WE are out there, WE can pick up the trash and rebuild areas torn up by fucktards? how does that sound?

Yeah, sure, there are rangers out there spreading the word and there used to be awesome commercials about keeping America clean but you know, can't have activists bitching about something if you send messages counter to what you want a good activist to bitch about... come to think of it, when was the last time you saw any of them leave an area cleaner than they found it after protesting, or, go clean up an area without the "look at me" social postings?? anyway, I digress... back to Jeeping!

How about WE become the stewards of the land, teach and educate all those that venture outdoors to leave the places better than we found them, teach them how to be good stewards of the land and start the next great trend, now there's a grand idea. (y)

And!! get this! After WE clean up the shit left behind by all those people that were never taught by their parents about being responsible for themselves by not acting like fucktards everywhere they go and when in the great outdoors it's ok to leave their shit all over because you know, they're soo fucking special... How about WE find them and thank them for what they do by returning the shit they left behind and shoving it up their ass because well, it would be a good lesson about where shit belongs...

How about it? doesn't this sound like a grand idea!
WE can do it!
 
Too popular? Ehh just a personal opinion. Not gonna tell someone that pays for the privilege just as I do not to enjoy.
Are we worse stewards of the land? Yeah. Just need some better awareness and accountability. In what form, no idea.
Social media is a culprit for sure but I won’t blame the tool, just the person. Don’t give up locations, trails or views you care about. You can still show them on you IG, YT or whatever. Just demonstrate good stewardship and keep it a mystery for the next person.
I also think this is just a case of the old grumpy dude on the porch. We are all passionate about this and want to yell at someone!😄
 
All of this IS a problem, a challenge, we’re just going to have to deal with. I love going outdoors and don’t ever post about it anymore. I talk, might share pics in person, but that’s it. No YT. No insta. Everything that can be said has been said on this string—I’m just glad to be part of a caring community rather than a destructive one.

Y'all all be well.
 
I see it everyday, people call for help, mother f me for 5 minutes, then complain that I’m not helping them. Not all but some of society is definitely heading in a backwards direction. One of the spots that I enjoy visiting at least once a year, has been damaged/destroyed since covid by YouTubers, sprinter van people and “overlanders” who left/still leave a bunch of trash, crap, tp etc, aside from destroying the area by camping in obvious places they shouldn’t have been. Really sucks that people don’t respect much of anything these days.
 
It has been said but not in so many words there's a lack of personal accountability and the self entitlement people have. I saw it first hand at KOH this year. I feel KOH did a great job of cleaning up the most popular areas. Additionally tread lightly and some corporations came out daily to also pick up. The problem with this is people feel they can just toss their trash on the ground knowing someone will be there to pick it up. KOH had dozens of trash bags, can drums and things placed everywhere. Yet every morning they'd be 1/4 full and trash everywhere. You know your a POS when you can't walk 25' to throw your garbage in a bag placed there for you to use so someone else can haul it away for you.

There is a guy I met through IG @desertcleanseproject. He uses social media to show the damage and trash left behind and illegally dumped in the Joshua tree, landers, Johnson Valley areas. He then goes out and cleans up these messes. As he puts it he works to pay for his desert trash collecting habit. He told me a story that he was out with a group of friends near Giant Rock prepping for a future clean up. A group of people came running up to them asking for help. They asked help with what. This group said they were being harassed by quad and utv riders. They proceeded to explain the riders were doing donuts and kicking dirt and rocks all over them and all they were trying to do was paint on the rocks and shoot a youtube video. My friend told them that they'd want to beat their ass too and they can't paint on the rocks. They were dumbfounded that they couldn't do that and very quickly gathered their things and left. People amaze me.
 
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This sign is at a local brewery about 10 minutes from where I live. Decent business park area. I note it in this thread because perhaps there is some synergy. Good businesses didn’t used to have to actually ask their own patrons to not vandalize.

I will add though….one of the cleanest brewery pissers I’ve been in. Never even a paper towel on the floor let alone graffiti.

Shitty people suck!
 

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It's such a delicate balance, wanting to get out in the wild with all others that want to also. I was once new to all this, and I asked people for opinions, help, locations, but I did my best to clean after myself, not go off the trails, all that stuff we do. I think it comes down to personal responsibility; some people care, others do not. I am hopeful things will change, especially with the increasing cost and decreasing time available to all. We. Shall. See.
 
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