By Lito De Veterbo

Lito De Veterbo recommends NTB:BYOTH = No Trash Bin. Bring Your Own Trash Home.

1. When we leave our trash in local communities or travel destinations, we add burden to them, especially if they do not have a proper disposal system. We bring our own trash home to avoid giving them the burden of disposing our trash, which in the first place is our burden.

Let’s look at these cases:

a. Scenic spots along highways serving as pit stops for travellers and motorists to take a break are littered with garbage, mostly disposable food packaging and utensils. We are amazed by the existence of these spots but we damage them.

b. In the mountaineering community, the jump off and trails have become the disposal site by irresponsible, misinformed mountaineers during or after completing a climb. Same goes in the running community.

In both cases, we ask these questions:

  • What happens to the trash left behind?
  • Who takes the burden of disposing the trash?
  • What contribution did we give to maintain and protect the place we visit?

2. Things and trash brought from home must go all the way back home. This also encourages discipline in packing: Do not bring it if you cannot bring it back home.

3. Trash generated from locally purchased and consumed items may be disposed of locally. You do not want to bring them home for sanitary/hygienic reason. Leave them locally – in a trash bin.

IN GIST

The acronym “NTB:BYOTH” stands for “No Trash Bin: Bring Your Own Trash Home.”

This eco-conscious slogan was coined and recommended by Lito De Veterbo—a Filipino mountaineer, environmental advocate, and Guinness World Record holder. Known in the outdoor community as “Mister LNT” (Leave No Trace), he strongly advocates for responsible travel and waste management.

Core Philosophy of NTB:BYOTH

The campaign addresses the growing garbage issue in local tourist spots, highways, and mountain trails. The philosophy is built on three main points:

  • Shifting the Burden: Leaving trash at travel destinations or community pit stops places an unfair waste management burden on local communities that often lack proper disposal systems.
  • Personal Accountability: If you have the capacity to bring packed items and goods to a destination, you must have the discipline to carry the resulting waste all the way back to your own home.
  • Disciplined Packing: The rule encourages minimalist preparation—“Do not bring it if you cannot bring it back home.”
Lito De Veterbo recommends NTB:BYOTH > No Trash Bin | Bring Your Own Trash Home. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED at pit stops, picnic grounds, jump off, trails, historical sites, buses, someone’s home, sidewalk, etc…

Who is Lito De Veterbo?

Lito De Veterbo made history by setting the Guinness World Record for the fastest crossing of the Philippines on foot in 2025.

  • The Record: He traversed the country on foot from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, to Glan, Sarangani, completing the 2300-kilometer journey in 147 days, 1 hour, 39 minutes, and 53 seconds.
  • Walking the Talk: Throughout his five-month journey, he strictly practiced his low-impact, low-waste principles. He refused to purchase a single single-use plastic water bottle, relying entirely on a reusable container that he refilled at local establishments along the way.
  • Advocacy Work: He conducts Leave No Trace Workshops across the Philippines, teaching outdoor enthusiasts, students, and local government units how to minimize human impact on natural ecosystems.