Matter Out Of Place

DPW Playa Restoration Lesson #3: Techniques for Tent-Stakes Removal

2011-07-31T13:49:00.000-07:00

DPW Playa Restoration Lesson #2: Anatomy of a MOOP Line

2011-07-31T13:48:00.001-07:00

DPW Playa Restoration Lesson #1: MOOP Basics

2011-07-31T13:35:00.000-07:00

MOOP MAP: 2010

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MOOP MAP 2009

2010-03-04T03:31:00.000-08:00

MOOP MAP: 2006

2009-07-13T14:19:00.001-07:00

MOOP MAP: 2007

2009-07-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

MOOP MAP: 2008

2009-07-13T13:18:00.000-07:00

MOOP METHOD: USE A MAGNETIC SWEEPER FOR METAL!

2009-07-10T17:50:00.000-07:00

Badass metal artist Natalie shows how badass she is by using a magnetic sweeper to quickly pick up a crap-ton of metal in a matter of seconds!

Metal and wood workers are discovering the power of using a magnetic sweeper. Why be on your hands and knees picking up all those nails and screws and metal shavings that come from welding and grinding when you can simply roll a magnetic sweeper over your targeted areas and have it pick it up for you. Nowadays, they come with a handy dandy release lever to drop all that metal easily into the trash.

Use eye protection when pulling the lever and make sure you're not downwind so that the metal shaving don't blow in your face and eyes.

MOOP METHOD: USE A RAKE FOR VISIBILITY!

2009-07-10T17:30:00.000-07:00

The mighty Buzzkill shows how to use the rake effectively though a dune by bringing moop to the surface. – photo by Nice

You may find that you have moop, let's say wood debris for example, spread over a large surface area. Due to all the dust storms and camp traffic, all of those wood chips and splinters are starting to mix with the playa becoming harder to see… but you know it’s there.

Use a landscape rake to comb a path through the moopy playa. Walk the combed path and moop all the debris that popped up. Remember to make things simpler by calling for a few helping hands to moop the debris area. If the area is really big, designate a grid and do a line sweep.

HOW TO LEAD A LINE SWEEP

2009-07-10T17:27:00.001-07:00

LINE SWEEP: Definition

2009-07-10T16:48:00.000-07:00

photo by Nice

LINE SWEEP 1.(noun)

Quick and efficient method utilizing strength in numbers in a line formation for picking up matter out of place across stretches of land within designated boundaries.

Sentence: "All right gang, let's get a line sweep together and knock this out."

LINE SWEEP 2.(verb)

Picking up matter out of place in line formation.

Sentence: "Once everything is packed up in the trucks, we're gonna round up our campmates and line sweep across the area."

MOOP-BUCKET: Definition

2009-07-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Moop-Bucket: pictured here, filled with wood debris found at the work area of a large-scale art project on the open playa.

Moop-Bucket (noun)

Any sturdy and easy to carry container used for carrying moop. Typically, water jugs with handles are re-used with cut-out openings at the top for ease of use.

Sentence: "Everyone, empty out your moop-buckets into this trash can and we'll take a picture of what we found."

Moop-Buckets are often preferred instead of trash bags due to their durability against the high desert wind, as well as protecting against sharp moop objects like broken glass and tent-stakes.

Trash bags full of moop have been known to break open and blow away while emptying back out and scattering the previously picked-up moop onto the playa again.

MOOP-STICK: Definition

2009-07-10T14:26:00.000-07:00

Moop-Stick (noun)

Equivalent to a lightsaber, commonly known as a grabber or pick-up tool, the moop stick quickly and easily allows moopers to reach the ground and pick up moop without breaking their stride or having to bend down on their knees.

Sentence: "Hey, get yer own damn moop-stick!"

The Ultimate Mooper is YOU..!

2009-07-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

photo by Nice

The responsibility is YOURS, and by that I mean ALL OF OURS.

Whether you're building and burning in the remote desert, in the woods, or in your backyard... It's in keeping the Leave No Trace intention alive that allows us ALL to keep burning bigger and brighter wherever we roam. This is how we roll.

MOOP: Definition

2009-07-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

MOOP 1. (noun)

An acronym for Matter Out Of Place, meaning any thing or impact not native to the immediate environment, especially as it applies to the citizens of Black Rock City and the greater Burning Man community in regards to the founding principle of Leave No Trace.

Examples: trash, bottles, cans, cigarette butts, fireworks, glow sticks, bottle caps, but can also be in the form of debris from camp fires, wood, plastic, metal, glass, and plants.
Sentence: "I'm glad that everyone had a wonderful time but your camp sure did leave a whole lot of moop behind!"
Moop can also be a condition not natural to the environment: such as burn scars, grey water, and dunes.

Moop 2. (verb)

To pick up matter out of place.

Sentence: "Our camp teamed up with the other camps on the block and we mooped from one end to the other!"