LNT Guidelines

Rule #1: Defend against MOOP!

Definition

MOOP stands for Matter Out of Place, and avoiding leaving MOOP anywhere on the hill, in the forest, on the fields, along paths, etc. is an essential part of leaving no trace at Firefly. MOOP includes, but is not limited to:

• Personal items that have been misplaced or forgotten
• Trash of any size, including
  • Feathers, sequins, or glitter (DO NOT pack anything with these on them)
  • Cigarette butts (bring a container to dispose of these if you plan to smoke)
  • Toilet paper (if you use TP in the woods, it needs to go into your personal trash bag)
  • Food scraps (no, you can't toss your banana peel into a bush)
• Poop (Please don't poop in the woods. We don't want to have to pick it up. 💩🤢)

Guidelines

• 🚫 DO NOT BRING anything with feathers 🪶, sequins 💎, glitter 🌟, or anything else likely to fall off your costume or body and become MOOP. This is a rule and not a suggestion; if you're walking around in a MOOPy outfit, attentive Fireflies will tell you to go back to your tent and change.
• 🏷️ LABEL YOUR BELONGINGS with your name and where you're camping, especially cups, water bottles, hats, jackets, or other items you're likely to carry around with you.

• 🍬 CARRY A SMALL PLASTIC BAG for any trash you create or find while away from your campsite. It's expected that everyone be prepared to pick up any MOOP they encounter at Firefly.
• 🗑️ BRING TRASH BAGS to use for your personal trash for the week. You will need to carry all your trash offsite with you at the end of the event.

Other Tips

• Brightly colored zip ties, paracord, etc. are easier to find when packing up than black, white, or clear ones.
• You can reduce your total trash by removing unnecessary packaging from food and other items before you pack them.

Rule #2: Set up camp responsibly.

DOs

• ✅ Put a tent over ferns without cutting them. (They will bounce back.)
• ✅ Rake around fires and burn barrels to prevent fires. (Put the leaf litter back afterwards.)
• ✅ Move sticks to make room for camp infrastructure or to designate paths or other spaces within your camp. (Scatter any sticks you've intentionally arranged afterwards.)

DON'Ts

• 🚫 Don't do anything involving leafblowers, weedwhackers, shovels, or mattocks.
• 🚫 Don't cut, rip, or shred any ferns. This damages them and there are less and less of them each year, changing the appearance, habitat, and ecosystem of the forest.
• 🚫 Don't cut or damage saplings. Anything standing vertical and alive is to remain vertical and untouched. You can move sticks, branches, and chopped wood to make room for your camp infrastructure. If you spot a tree or branch dangling menacingly over your camp, bring this to DPW's attention.
• 🚫 Don't rake paths or camping spots bare, as that 1) disturbs habitats unnecessarily and 2) create slick mud pits when it rains; leaf litter helps to prevent paths and camping spots from becoming outright mud puddles.
• 🚫 Don't level or terraform the ground, including to redirect rainwater or streams. If whatever you are planning on doing requires shovels or mattocks, do not do it. Especially take care not to redirect rainwater into main paths; drainways have been specifically shaped along the main vehicle accessible paths in order to allow rainwater to cross paths without damaging them or flow away from the paths altogether. Modifying these drainways or redirecting rainwater may compromise paths and impede road access in case of emergencies.
• 🚫 Don't remove any plant or animal life, dead or alive, from the forest.

Rule #3: Bring Lost & Found items to MOMM.

Found objects are not “ground-scores.” Bring them to the Lost and Found, located just up the path from Upper Parking and the Upper Portos, as you would hope someone would do for your stuff.

Firefly's Lost & Found is also known as the Museum of Modern MOOP (MOMM), and you're encouraged to caption and display any items you find and return. Also remember to check here for items you may have lost before leaving the event! There will also be a lockbox for valuables like electronics, medication, and jewelry.

Rule #4: Don't be gross.

You can pee in the woods, but

• Don't do it within 100 feet of the stream.
• Don't leave toilet paper behind; take it with you in your personal trash bag.

You can cool off in the stream, but

• NO SOAP in the stream, even the hippy stuff.
• Wash off your sunscreen, bug spray, and personal products at least 100 feet away from the stream first.

You can wash dishes at your camp, but

• Not in the stream
• Strain your grey water and dispose of it at least 100 feet from the stream.
• If it’s chunky or oily, pack it out! Use a funnel and container with screw top. To reduce chunkiness of grey water, wipe dishes with a paper towel into the trash before washing.
• Use ONLY biodegradable soaps

Please use the portopotties, but

• If it didn’t come from your body, it doesn’t go in the potty. The only exception is the provided 1-ply toilet paper.
• Baby wipes, pads/tampons, etc. must be carried out.
• Peeing in the woods is fine, but all other human waste MUST go in the potty or be otherwise removed. POOP and PUKE are MOOP!
• Put the seat down for best ventilation.
• Any deco or signage hung in the portos may use painters tape only.