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    • Cannot find a way to actually read the piece.  Is there another link I am missing?  
    • "A scout is ... CLEAN" - Scout Law "Dispose of waste Properly"  - Leave No Trace Principles Wander around in any outdoor store and you'll find plenty of "environmentally responsible" solutions to the perennial problem of staying clean in the backcountry.  Of course we want to keep the weight low so we're not lugging a whole bathroom with us, but we also want to maintain some modicum of hygiene. We don't want to spread germs and we don't want to smell bad. But we're well aware that conservation and outdoor ethics are keystones of the scouting program, so we like finding solutions that not only keep us clean, but that are clean for the environment and that are courteous to other outdoor afficianados.  Cheapskates, like me, especially like doing that on the cheap. So here are three thoughts on how I can better embrace Leave No Trace while staying clean and staying cheap... 1. Wipes are nice.
      My favorite "no trace" solution is not to bring any soaps, sanitizers, or waste products at all. Instead, I can pack any brand of baby wipe, body wipe, or anti-bac wipe that I want in a plastic Zip-Loc bag.  I wipe myself off when I'm dirty, or I wipe down my dishes after I eat, and then I put the used wipes in the Zip_loc to pack out with me.  No fuss, no muss, no trash, no liquids, no expensive specialty products. 2. 200 feet is 30 steps
      If you must bring liquid soaps, remember that LNT guidelines say to stay away from lakes, rivers, streams, and other water sources by at least 200 feet. Most of us are aware that distance applies to any cat holes we might dig, but it also means we don't throw used dish water close (or in) to a stream. It's easy to know when you're an appropriate distance because 200 feet is approximately 30 paces for a teenager or an adult. 3. Specialty soaps sure do cost a lot!
      Several brands of "camp soap" can be bought.  They're often marketed as "biodegradable", and they don't always appear too expensive at first glance because some brands cost as little as $3. What makes them expensive is that the bottles are small --- often as little as an ounce. Great for backpacking, right?  Well, not when I can buy an off-the-shelf soap at any grocery or department store and put it into a small bottle myself.  To be "biodegradable", a soap should be free of phosphates, surfactants, and anti-bacterial agents.  Dawn Plus is my favorite for outdoor use because it's more environmentally responsible than most "grocery store" brands, yet I can buy it at my local Target or Food City.   Do any of y'all have any other tips for being conservation minded, the clean and cheap way?
    • Free speech is defined by who holds the biggest stick.  Barry
    • One of the redeeming features of fundraisers is teaching scouts salesmanship. Take the 'sell' out of the equation, and it looses its point.
    • Why just Eagles? If the goal is marketing, why only shoot for a slice of the pie? Just sounds dumb to me.
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