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#TRASHTAG: THE COOL NEW VIRAL CHALLENGE TO CLEAN UP THE ENVIRONMENT
25 Of The Best Responses To #TRASHTAG Challenge
The latest online challenge is really picking up momentum (and trash)
It began at the weekend with two photos shared on Facebook, along with the caption: ‘Here is a new #challenge for all you bored teens. Take a photo of an area that needs some cleaning or maintenance then take a photo after you have done something about it, and post it here.’
The first picture was of a guy in front of an area which needed a clean-up, the second, was the same guy in the same spot, but with 9 bags full of trash.
The idea snowballed over the weekend as users on Instagram, Reddit and Twitter shared dramatically different before and after photos.
Scroll Down For 25 Of The Best Responses To #TRASHTAG Challenge
1. It began at the weekend with two photos shared on Facebook, along with the caption: “Here is a new #challenge for all you bored teens. Take a photo of an area that needs some cleaning or maintenance then take a photo after you have done something about it, and post it here.” Source: BoredPanda 2. #trashtag is trending in Nepal??Source: Twitter/kelllvvviinnn 3. One (large) family making a huge difference “Here’s my contribution to #trashtag. My (large) family and I cleaned up this beach we camped near over the summer.” Source: Twitter/getyerfix 4. Selma Kayak and Large Marge the Garbage Barge Just one of the many days cleaning up our local water ways. Source: Twitter/getyerfix 5. Location unknown This Twitter user left their environment better than they found it. Source: Twitter/v0y4ge 6. Students from @tetsocollege, Dimapur, accepted the #Trashtag challengeSource: Instagram 7. One person can make a differenceSource: Reddit/4tpn 8. #trashtag from Vietnam Youngsters gather voluntarily to clean up the environment and to raise public awareness. Source: Reddit/phattvdev 9. A better place for every living creatureSource: Instagram/horse_spb 10. 3 women cleaned up this area togetherSource: Reddit/buttsaginton 11. The community in this Twitter user’s home town in Mexico got together and cleaned up garbageSource: Twitter/ger__mann 12. Took the whole Sunday morning for 10 people But finally completed the #trashtag challenge! Source: Reddit/anksla007 13. Along the Potomac River south of Washington, DC ‘We have to clean up the existing mess, but bottle deposit laws and styrofoam bans would prevent most of it. Contact your local, state, and federal representatives and insist on this.’ Source: Twitter/RMcNeil2105 14. A Bronx Tale of Tidiness ‘My aunt is a 70 year old retired school teacher and she has been making these signs and going around cleaning up our neighborhood in the Bronx for a few months now #Trashtag.’ Source: Reddit/WAYTOOMELO 15. Cleaning up Cali ‘Did our part today for #trashtag while offroading in the mountains of California.’ Source: Reddit/Flamewell 16. ‘Decided to pick up trash for my birthday and filled up 4 bags.’Source: Twitter/daavidcabrera_ 17. Cleaning up floating debris in Jamaica Bay, NYSource: Twitter/getyerfix 18. South AfricaSource: Reddit/morfen 19. ‘My girlfriend and I doing our part for #trashtag at the beach the other day.’Source: Twitter/v0y4ge 20. Unknown location via RedditSource: Reddit/dhth7a 21. ‘Another #trashtag challenge accepted! Help keep our streets clean.’Source: Twitter/to112life 22. Florida ‘Love seeing this become a challenge! Keeping the beaches clean here in Florida.’ Source: Reddit/Howells2202 23. South Africa ‘We’ve picked up tons from Durban beaches over the years ,’ says one Reddit user. Source: Reddit/kingluc79 24. Norwegian high school students collect almost 1.5 tons of trash 40 Norwegian Folk High School students from Alta spent one week picking trash at a local beach, gathering a total of 12,400kg Source: Reddit/Klokkestarter 25. Around the world people are accepting the challengeSource: Reddit/qevoh 25. Don’t wait to be asked ‘There’s an organisation I volunteer at and we basically do cleanups like this in the city. Places that have been forgotten by the local government and make them accessible for the public.’ Source: Reddit/RafayMirza
HOW FISHING FOR PLASTIC IS BECOMING THE LATEST HOLIDAY CRAZE
Michiel De Gooijer is the founder of BrightVibes and loves Menorca.
"I’ve been to Menorca on holiday for 7 times. It’s an incredibly beautiful island with amazing beaches, crystal clear sea, great food, kind people, amazing sunsets and great climate. But I noticed more and more plastic in the sea. Rather than just being annoyed by it – and as I kind of sit all day on my *ss anyway ;-), I bought a net and decided to clean up the sea and the beached I visited.
I hope to inspire many others to follow suit. Of course I know we cannot solve the plastic problem on our own, but we can all make a difference." said Michiel.
Before and after BrightVibes founder’s relaxing holiday Michiel De Gooijer went on holiday to Menorca. As he loves nature & snorkeling and can’t sit still, he started to fish for plastic. These are his amazing results. Source: Facebook/BrightVibes
FISHING FOR PLASTIC After Michiel caught the plastic, he took the net with him and emptied it at one of the many containers they have on the Spanish island. Fortunately, waste is collected separately in Spain and he could throw away all the plastic in the container for packaging. Source: Facebook/BrightVibes
SO MUCH MORE TO DO, BUT WE’RE NOT POWERLESS
Of course Michiel is aware that to tackle the plastic pollution problem, many actions need to be taken. As he says:
"Naturally there is so much that needs to be done. The plastic problem can be overwhelming. Now in order to get into action mode, I try to make the problem smaller.
That’s why I focus on things that you and I can do in our daily lives, to help fight plastic waste. And simply leaving places behind cleaner than we found them, does make a difference. Not if I do it alone, but I know that there’s a fast growing group of people that also wants to do something.
Cleaning up your environment is one thing. But there are many more things we can do. Most of the waste I found in the sea comes from single-use plastic products, like PET bottles, plastic bags, razors, plastic bags, q-tips, balloons, straws etc.
The good news is that we easily quit, or at least drastically decrease, the consumption of these products and use sustainable alternatives, without having to give up on convenience."
