• For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here.
    (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation)

Search 69,459 Camino Questions

An effective solution to trash? Maybe someday. :-)

Time of past OR future Camino
Yearly and Various 2014-2019
Via Monastica 2022
Last edited:
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
:D
Oh, regarding the toilet paper ... surely everybody can manage to bring a few doggy poop bags, they weigh nothing and would fit nicely in a backpack hip pocket, bum bag or trouser pocket, then just pop the used TP into the bag, tie up, tuck away until you find a bin - job done. If you don't have a dog, ask someone who does for one, or find another small bag to take for this purpose. Pleeeease ...?
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
We laugh - and I posted this as a joke. But it does work.
When I was about 8 and didn't have any sense that it wasn't OK to toss trash off the trail, one day I did. Fortunately, the scout leader saw me, and everyone stopped while I scrambled down through the dense ferns to pick up the trash I'd flung over the edge. I was suitably mortified, and the lesson really stuck. :oops:
 
Usually, when I see someone drop trash...if I think they dropped it purposely, I tell them...” Oh, I think you just lost something” ...responses vary including gratefulness, embarrassed, annoyed, or completely non responsive. Sometimes, depending on the circumstances, I will pick it up...but if they throw things over a hill, I do not go after it...past that age🙂😀!
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Someone who works in building maintenance told me that those ‘bio-degradable’ wipes are actually not bio-degradable at all and should not be flushed down a toilet. They will eventually cause problems with the plumbing.
They are biodegradable but not flushable, which means that they will take longer to decompose but they are in fact fully degradable (the said 'flushable' wipes have threads of plastic material in them).

I brought myself a pack of biodegradable baby wipes and a roll of compostable 5L bag and they were incredibly useful (but I did not use for the most obvious use, though). I cut a few of the wipes in half and placed inside an old chewing gum jar to have easy access daily. Compostable bags are semi-permeable, though, so careful when using it to carry soft fruits, wet laundry, wet toiletries, dirty wipes....
 
I do not go after it...past that age🙂😀!
No no, @Marbe2 . They're the ones who should do that. ;)
I don't know why, but it tickles me mightily to imagine stern Guarda Civil guys catching people littering (or - ahem - whatever) and informing the errant pilgrim that they must go back and pick up their stuff.
It's never ever going to happen, but it would be sooo nice, just once, to see such a thing. :cool:
 
No no, @Marbe2 . They're the ones who should do that. ;)
I don't know why, but it tickles me mightily to imagine stern Guarda Civil guys catching people littering (or - ahem - whatever) and informing the errant pilgrim that they must go back and pick up their stuff.
It's never ever going to happen, but it would be sooo nice, just once, to see such a thing. :cool:
It's so true , it never will happen.
This littering is a world wide problem. We saw it a few day's ago during our walk near Deventer.
When people don't change the polution will never stop , sorry to say . In my honest opinion it's getting worse World wide .
Wish you well. 🙏
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
It's so true , it never will happen.
Oh well.
It isn't the TP, but the humorous aspect that was the point.
It's a funny thing to imagine: the GC litter patrol, walking up and down the camino with their swagger and sidearms. "Señora, you go pick up that paper and whatever you left with it. Right now." As sheepish peregrina goes off to clean up her rubbish. 🤣
Accompanied by the right movie music, of course, as the hero saves the day.
I guess I have a strange sense of humor.
 
...
It's never ever going to happen, but it would be sooo nice, just once, to see such a thing. :cool:
Few years ago me and my friends did similar kind of action at the traffic lights where drivers throw out cigarette butts, plastic bottles, take-away coffee cups etc. We asked our friends skilled in martial arts and some clubs to help us and they were very happy to do that. All very big boys :)

What was the plan? We sent the smallest, the thinest guys to that traffic lights crossroads and whatever (even still burning cigarette butts) the drivers threw out on the street or even on the patch of grass between lanes, this guys threw back into cars (usually drivers lap) saying very politely: "Sorry sir/madam but I think that belongs to you. I believe you accidentally dropped it."

Of course the reactions were from all sides of the spectre but when some of them tried to use force then our "thugs" came on the scene. Always in pairs. All was good until guess what? After few days police came and they said they would arrest and prosecute us. US!!! For making damage to the owners of cars. Oh yes!

But it was fun really and maybe some of them are not doing that anymore. I hope.
 
Last edited:
They are biodegradable but not flushable, which means that they will take longer to decompose but they are in fact fully degradable (the said 'flushable' wipes have threads of plastic material in them)....
Thank you for clarifying things here. I need to be reminded, from time to time, that I don’t always get things 100% straight. ☺️
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Oh well.
It isn't the TP, but the humorous aspect that was the point.
It's a funny thing to imagine: the GC litter patrol, walking up and down the camino with their swagger and sidearms. "Señora, you go pick up that paper and whatever you left with it. Right now." As sheepish peregrina goes off to clean up her rubbish. 🤣
Accompanied by the right movie music, of course, as the hero saves the day.
I guess I have a strange sense of humor.
Do they still wear the tricornio? Now that would be something to see!


tricornio.jpg
 
The tricornio is surely alive and well. But I don’t think that the guardias who are patrolling the Camino (and there are a lot of them) typically wear the tricornio. Your question got me to google a bit, @trecile, and I discovered that yes indeed the tricornio is still worn, and still manufactured, only in Spain. No China outsourcing seems to have happened. https://www.elespanol.com/reportaje...a-sevillana-guardia-civil-no/313968656_0.html

Apoparently the only Guardias Civiles who use that hat today are those who work in embassys and other important public buildings. But in parades and for ceremonies, they are de rigeur.
 
The tricornio is surely alive and well.
Wow. I like the juxtaposition of the flash sunglasses and the tricornio. I'm sorry to admit that men with tricornios always look to me like they are marching around with their abuela's saucepans on their heads.:oops:
No China outsourcing seems to have happened.
Can you imagine what the people making these things are wondering?
🤣
Oh wait, edit: I read 'no' and thought it was a typo for 'now.' I guess they know all about them.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
I think this also is a great indicator of how much the role of the Guardia Civil has changed in Spanish society. ;) Much more of a positive force in the community than when they strolled around looking menacing and with machine guns slung over their shoulders.

In that times you are writting about, more than 1.000 persons where killed in Spain by terrorists, many of them policemen and Civil Guards, but many others were children , women, workers, politicians, journalists...
They could apeears menacing , but thank to those men and women with their machine guns, we are living now in a free and safe country.
To all of them, in the past, the future and nowadays, our thanks, our respect, and our admiration.
 
In that times you are writting about, more than 1.000 persons where killed in Spain by terrorists, many of them policemen and Civil Guards, but many others were children , women, workers, politicians, journalists...
They could apeears menacing , but thank to those men and women with their machine guns, we are living now in a free and safe country.
To all of them, in the past, the future and nowadays, our thanks, our respect, and our admiration.
It still chills my spine to see the fasces bundle of sticks and the axe on their badge though.
 
:D
Oh, regarding the toilet paper ... surely everybody can manage to bring a few doggy poop bags, they weigh nothing and would fit nicely in a backpack hip pocket, bum bag or trouser pocket, then just pop the used TP into the bag, tie up, tuck away until you find a bin.

Inserting used toilet paper inside doggy bags and/or ziplock bags will increase the amount of waste products destined for landfill. Why not bring a small trowel or a large spoon - both reusable! - to dig a hole and bury your organic matter?
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
In Japan, I saw no litter and rarely saw a garbage can. Cultural expectations.
 
It still chills my spine to see the fasces bundle of sticks and the axe on their badge though.
I always feel safer when I see the badge of the Cuardia Civil. Always. I have nothing to fear from police.
 
Inserting used toilet paper inside doggy bags and/or ziplock bags will increase the amount of waste products destined for landfill. Why not bring a small trowel or a large spoon - both reusable! - to dig a hole and bury your organic matter?

depending on weather conditions, the roadside dirt is either hard-pack or squidgy mud. I tried your suggestion in the past with less-than happy outcomes.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
depending on weather conditions, the roadside dirt is either hard-pack or squidgy mud. I tried your suggestion in the past with less-than happy outcomes.

This is when I bring out my undefeated multi-function Swiss army knife.
 
Am carrying disposable gloves and trash bags to collect along the way. Wish I could carry some grabbers (those long things with squeeze handles and two fingers to grab stuff) but alas, to9 heavy and long. I’ll hav3 to bend. In the past, I have been saddened by the pilgrim trash left. It turned out to be helpful on two occasions when I missed a turn. When I didn’t see trash, I knew I was no longer on the Camino!
 
Wish I could carry some grabbers (those long things with squeeze handles and two fingers to grab stuff) but alas, to9 heavy and long.
Portia, I carried a pair on my last camino that were foldable. And light. They easily ticked into the side of my pack when not in use. They sure beat tongs!

When I didn’t see trash, I knew I was no longer on the Camino!
Trash is the new yellow arrow. Ick.
Where are the GC when we need them to hector people into going back to pick up their stuff? ;)
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Not all places view the tossing of rubbish on the ground the same way. Living five years in China showed me the extreme other view of don't toss rubbish on the ground. With the camino being open to all, we see all views on small issues such is how to get deal with rubbish along with tons of other issues. A single person will try to change to the normal around them but a large group will go back to what is normal to them at home.
 
A single person will try to change to the normal around them but a large group will go back to what is normal to them at home.
True enough. And not just in Asia.
But that refrigerator probably taught a lesson to more than one person. I bet he'll be talking about that in bars for the rest of his life. 🤣
 

Most read last week in this forum

Could I ask what may be naive question. This will be my 1st Camino and I will be mostly staying in alberques. Could you please explain the bathroom/shower etiquette to me? I have no idea what...
Do i need both these apps? I want to spend as little time my device as possible so if one app will do fine that’s my preference.
I was planning to document my journey through my blog (or Vlog, as I would probably take lots of videos). I was thinking of using my iPhone, and I ordered a foldable keyboard to facilitate typing...
I did the Norte in 2017. This set off a wild ride of changes in life - shifting many things. I am now at a new plateau and it feels like the right time to do Camino #2, this time the...
Hi to all, I'm looking for a really, really good place (an artist) to get a Tattoo in Santiago, it could be before Santiago but I presume in Santiago I will be ready to have my first one. The...
My daughter and I will be on the Portuguese on June and July starting in Lisbon. We will arrive in Porto about the 27th of June. We want to stay for three nights. Can we stay in an albergue for...

❓How to ask a question

How to post a new question on the Camino Forum.

Similar threads

Forum Rules

Forum Rules

Camino Updates on YouTube

Camino Conversations

Most downloaded Resources

This site is run by Ivar at

in Santiago de Compostela.
This site participates in the Amazon Affiliate program, designed to provide a means for Ivar to earn fees by linking to Amazon
Official Camino Passport (Credential) | 2024 Camino Guides
Back
Top