Desert Messenger

March 21, 2018 www.DesertMessenger.com 19 Facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews Arizona Peace Trail An updated version of the ARI- ZONA PEACE TRAIL has been re- leased, with some optional routes. You can download any or all the tracks directly into your Garmin GPS. Visit: https://caltopo.com/m/5447. We can get the Shih tzu out of your carpet! 520-255-9081 MD CARPET CLEANING SERVING QUARTZSITE - BLYTHE Let's Talk Dirty! OPEN YEAR-ROUND! LARGE LOTS! ~ FREE WiFi ~ Laundromat ~ RO Water ~ Thrift Shop ~ Delights Gifts & Antiques 455 E. Main St. Quartzsite - PROPANE SALES - Open 365 Days/Year for Your Convenience! Pets Welcome! - PROPANE SALES - - PROPANE SALES - Pattie's RV Park 928-927-4223 Close to Everything! Busting popular Leave No Trace myths MYTH: ORANGE PEELS (OR SEED SHELLS, BANANA PEELS, FRUIT PITS, ETC.) DECOMPOSE AND ARE NATURAL, SO I DON'T NEED TO PACK THEM OUT. Actually, depending on the environ- ment, it can take an orange peel up to six months to decompose. For a banana peel, it could take up to two years. The thing is, even though these things decompose more quickly than materials like plastic or glass, they still stick around for a while. And in a popular area that sees dozens of visitors per day, even a handful of people leaving behind food waste can add up to a big pile of decomposing garbage. MYTH: TOILET PAPER DECOM- POSES QUICKLY, SO I CAN JUST LEAVE IT UNDER A ROCK. According to this horsepacking group, it takes toilet paper any- where from two to fi ve months to dissolve. Not quite as quick as you'd think. Besides, regardless of wheth- er toilet paper decomposes quickly or not, leaving it around is just plain gross. No one wants to turn over a rock and fi nd used toilet paper. So, just like for everything else—pack it in, pack it out. MYTH: I DON'T NEED TO PICK UP MY DOG'S POOP—IT'S THE SAME AS OTHER WILDLIFE. This myth surprised us—that dog poop is actually different than that of other animals. Here's what the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics website has to say about that: "Dog feces contains high levels of nitrogen not found in wildlife feces because dog food is chemically-en- gineered." Depending on where you are, many plants thrive in low-ni- trogen soil, and the presence of a lot of dog feces could in fact affect the area's soil composition—and the ability of native plants to thrive. MYTH: GOING OFF-TRAIL ISN'T A BIG DEAL. Sure, it's no big deal if just one person goes off trail. Shortcuts are tempting, especially when you're tired. Or if there's a stunning wild- fl ower that you want to photograph. But trails are built to concentrate impact and manage erosion, among other purposes, and going off trail counteracts those goals. Plus, see- ing your footprints or trampled grass for those who follow can send the signal that it's ok to leave the trail and lead to even more people following your new path. So, be the leader we know you are, and stick to the trail, even if it's muddy! National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) www.nols.edu Got Drugs? Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal Mon - Fri. 8am-5pm Quartzsite Police Department

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