June 23-4th Halmae Bawi KOTR/KML Cleanup

shanja · #1 06-10-2007, 11:06 AM

OK folks, let's see how green thou art....It looks like the weekend 23/24th June Hypoxic's caring crew at KML (if you still don't know who this is look at the link at bottom of ever KOTR page) and KOTR will try and join forces for a clean-up of HalmaeBawi. It's a gloves on, bend that back dirty weekend for sure....but not half so dirty as this great site has become

. C'mon dudes/ dudettes!

WE use the place too, and have a really grand chance to put an undeniably good spotlight on both climbers, foreigners and the environment. Anyone who can make it, one day or both please pm me, reply here (even better as public support fosters more people to join in) or contact Hypoxic/ KML. Details are still being hammered out, but there is a lot of trash that'll need carting away...I'm seeing if we can hire a local Bongo man to come and pick up the bags of garbage and take them away to a local garbage tip. This might cost a small fee, but I think it'll be the only way...though I'll try and see if Gochang county will send a council truck 1st...maybe for free as it's in Gochang Gun (county).
So...please sign up here. We'll likely still be able to get in some climbing, and you'll feel good about doing the right thing, yeah?
Thanks for taking the time to read this.
Jake and Kyung Ah.

dehaan · #2 06-11-2007, 09:43 PM

an excellent cause. more than happy to pitch in.
not only for the sake of a climbing area,
but any greening initative.
we will get to do some climbing too though. right?

shanja · #3 06-11-2007, 11:05 PM

yep, I'd say so...dependin' on how much trash and greenies there be.

Hypoxic · #4 06-16-2007, 03:48 PM

I hope some of you can join in.
There has been a mix up of schedules though. I apologise that I won't be able to attend the cleanup as I have a prior engagement to join the Samgaksan International Mountain Culture Festival. I was asked by the mayor of Gangbukgu in Seoul on a hike we - with some of his lackies - took together about a month ago.
Shanja and I smoothed it out, and Shanja will take the reins and control the cleanup. If this works out well, then you can bet there'll be future endeavours for KOTR and KML. A fellowship of mountain protection and climbing. I like the sound of that.

The cleanup is now being advertised on the KML's site. Oh, and the site has had a makeover. Please stop by and have a look.

And, please, take a moment and sign our petiton.

shanja · #5 06-18-2007, 01:37 PM

WE will just be buying those green trash bags, gloves and maybe some disinfectant stuff + brushes (for the bathrooms - OK yeah I volunteer to do the poo shoveling job...) and picking up the worst of the garbage. I hope we can also put up a few bilingual signs to encourage less future littering and more self responsibility by all visitors to Halmae. KML has graciously offered to repay the costs (awesome guys, thanks!) of this. It's a small job really, and with dehaan, KA, myself and others there it should also be a quick job. If we start it Saturday noonish, then we'll still have heaps of time to climb....maybe camping at Seonunsan Sat night also. Clean climbing is all the rage, so why not climb cleaning?
Thanks to anyone who can make it...if you can't that's OK, no guilt trippin', I'm sure you cats practice "pack it in, pack it out, leave only footprints" type climbing/ hiking. That is also a great example and a positive step. Thanks.

skinsk · #6 06-18-2007, 06:20 PM

I've dome some trail building and clean-ups in the USA-- one thing the local groups have done has been to get local businesses to hand out schwag (hey, I have been able to get US businesses to donate to KOTR events in the past-- usually it requires a)some connection-- ths probably moreso in Korea, but I KNOW many of us have some connections. . . and b)asking) -- the donors get good publicity (maybe featured on a website or banner) and/or they can set up a table, etc. Might be too late in the game for this time. Sorry I am down and will literally be out (of the country) for this one.

Jake-- man-- get yourself some nice elbow gloves! You might consider some of those fisherman's waders besides! On the positive side, you get lotsa karma points. . . maybe you can redeem them for carma(chanical help)?

One final suggestion-- and I know this also requires maintainence-- but what about getting a trash can (even leaving a box of replacement bags underneath)?

Hypoxic · #7 06-18-2007, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skinsk

One final suggestion-- and I know this also requires maintainence-- but what about getting a trash can (even leaving a box of replacement bags underneath)?

This is something that has been on our agenda for so long. There simply aren't enough - or any! - trash cans in spots like this. Politically it's sometimes difficult to convince town councils to place trash cans in some places because they're not willing to pick the trash up. However, this works in our favour: if we are diligent with this cause (specifically with Halmae at the moment) and put our own trash can there and pick up the trash, say, twice a month, local media - which always leads to national media - will pick up on it (it's never wrong to tell them ourselves what we do, either), and get out the word that common people are doing the job that the government should be doing. Citizens taking responsibility always gets the message across, and the government fortunately quite often folds on the issue and takes control - under careful scrutiny of us.

Of course, when I say 'we' and 'us' here I'm talking about KOTR and KML.

Skinsk, your input is invaluable, please give us any other suggestion at any time. Thanks!

Hypoxic · #8 06-18-2007, 11:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shanja

I hope we can also put up a few bilingual signs to encourage less future littering and more self responsibility by all visitors to Halmae

Yes, agreed. Some signs are imperative in an area that is frequented by the public but not controlled by the local council. How are you planning to get the signs done? Printed and sheathed in plastic? This would be a nice easy method. I believe the logos of both KOTR and KML should appear on the signs to spread the word of each group individually and collectively. I will e-mail you the KML logo so you can upload it and print it out with the KOTR logo for the signs.
Any more thoughts on this? I'll wait to hear from you before I send the logo.

skinsk · #9 06-18-2007, 11:22 PM

Quote:

There simply aren't enough - or any! - trash cans in spots like this. Politically it's sometimes difficult to convince town councils to place trash cans in some places because they're not willing to pick the trash up.

I'll definitely be around next semester (late Aug thru late Dec) and I can commit to twice monthly picking up a bag of trash at Halmae from a garbage can-- and say placing a new bag in the can. . . (I live an hour away and have a car). . . er, assuming I don't say, break my foot so that I can't drive. . . that said, it's a limited "commitment" (oh I do have issue with those!). . . how about a sign on the can that asks climbers who can to haul it away?

Who made the "ice-cream" signs at Sununsan -- maybe they need to get involved too?

Oh, and please call me Sonia!!!

climbhigher14k · #10 06-19-2007, 11:05 AM

Jake, Jess and I will be there. I think this is a great idea, and I appreciate you for organizing it! We all use these areas, and I for one find myself complaining about how 'trashy' natural places are in Korea. Now is the time to make a larger-scale statement, and do something about it!

Looks like we will come down Friday night and camp at Seoneonsan, then meet you at Halmae on Sat. Let us know if we need to bring anything!