Rather than being seen as a drug-fueled party for those with disposable income, Burning Man promotes its "radical self-reliance," inclusion, and a pledge to "leave no trace" on the dry lake bed it calls home. Locals are tired of the mountains of garbage dumped in their local parking lots, and left of "the playa."

The documentary reveals how burners often fail to take their trash home, instead dumping it in nearby parking lots and along the roadside. They also film the aftermath on the playa and show a stark difference between what Burning Man's organizers and adherents want you to see, versus what they actually consider to be leaving no trace. Surprise, there's quite a trace.

Previously:

• Burning Man 2025 began with a murder and ended in a muddy disaster

• Murder on the playa 00:00/0

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