Sit-tow? Sea-toe? C-I-T-O? No matter how you say it, CITO stands for "Cache In Trash Out." You guessed it, it's affiliated with geocaching! CITOs encourage geocachers all over the world to get out and pick up trash (while also looking for a cache or two!)
CITOs can fall into one of two categories. The first is ongoing and the implication is to pick up any trash you see when you're out geocaching normally. The second category is more fun because it consists of CITO events! These are organized meetings in a certain area (usually a park or trail system) to pick up trash. Events count as a geocache find, so it’s a real win-win!
You might not think that picking up trash is a very fun thing to do. It might not be the most self-gratifying thing you do in the course of a day, but it's rewarding nonetheless. It makes you feel better about yourself. As an incentive to geocachers, the HQ sometimes offers a souvenir for attending a CITO during a given range of dates. Now, the souvenir isn't tangible, but it makes for a nice geocaching profile icon that we geeks are all over!
Just recently, September 17-25 was a CITO souvenir time period. I attended a CITO on the 24th and had a blast. We picked up a lot of trash and a few more obscure things. Noteworthy items included a coffee maker, a couch cushion, a stereo component, and a TV. It's fun to think about why people are throwing things like that away. The trash isn't close to the road either-- some of it is over half a mile in the woods. Why someone would take a TV that far just to get rid of it is beside me.
There is another CITO souvenir week around the same time as Earth Day. Similarly, geocachers get outside to pick up trash and earn a virtual compensation! Geocachers love their souvenirs, so it doesn’t take much to get them outdoors. This is a great thing because we’re helping out the earth while having fun at the same time.
It’s not uncommon for people to stop and ask what you’re doing or if you’re part of an organized group. After all, not everyone walks into the woods with rubber gloves and a 30-gallon trash bag. Those people are quick to offer their gratitude and it’s a great feeling overall.
Long story short, geocachers are more than just geeks who look for Tupperware in the woods. We care about the environment and like to give back!
