There are plenty of stupid online challenges and trends ranging from the absurd to the downright dangerous. But now, a particularly wholesome one is underway – the #trashtag challenge. This internet challenge is going viral to prompt people to clean up garbage in their area. Now, this is a #trend we can get behind.
1. Making a beach pristine again
At first, this beach was anything was beautiful. The waves pulled garbage all over the shore, making it almost impossible to even take a stroll. After the cleanup, it’s pristine once again. You don’t have to worry about stepping on shards of glass, pieces of plastic, or other garbage here.
2. Cleaning up waterways everywhere
This cleanup took the poster several days to finish. A bank that was once filled with garbage is now a beautiful grassy hill once again. It took a lot of effort, but now its natural beauty is back. And all that work was definitely worthwhile.
3. Community efforts … all over the world!
This community in Mexico made a day of their trash pickup. They cleared an unbelievable amount of trash from these trails. What an amazing community effort, work hard and leave something beautiful behind.
4. The challenge made it all the way to India!
These college students in India came together to put their backs into a trash clean-up all the way across the world. They look pretty proud of those two giant trash bags they filled, and they absolutely should. No matter how many garbage bags you fill, cleaning up trash is a worthy cause.
5. Or sometimes, there are dozens of bags
This colossal trash pickup yielded a huge number of trash bags! There’s no before picture here, but judging by the amount of garbage they picked up, that beach must have been destroyed. Now it’s a place where people can enjoy the sand and the sun without worry!
6. This Nepal cleanup was shared on Instagram
It might only be a small stretch of land but it was absolutely decimated by garbage. It looks like this one man may have led the effort all by himself! Whether it was just him or he had a team helping, it looks like it was hard work. They should be proud.
7. A new perspective: think of the animals
Posted from the vicinity of St. Petersburg, Russia, these pictures show a unique side of the trash cleanup: the animals! Now this horse can enjoy a clean lakeside trail instead of a trash dump.
8. This is amazing for an hour’s work
This looks like a regular walkway outside a town, but it was once covered in garbage. This man managed to make a huge difference after just an hour of work.
9. A huge effort with a huge reward
This Mumbai beach was absolutely covered in trash. Enter 500 volunteers who attacked the sand and cleaned up five million kg of garbage.
10. Extra effort with a special “garbage barge”
Garbage in waterways is an especially big problem. This lady decided to lend a hand by striking out on the waves in a kayak.
11. You’re never too old to lend a hand
This Reddit poster shared a picture of their 70-year-old aunt hitting the streets of the Bronx to tidy up.
12. Hitting the US capital
This young man decided to hit the Potomac River in Washington D.C. gathering at least eight bags of trash from its banks. Let’s call that a patriotic effort.
13. Returning a waterway to its natural beauty
These young people made this waterway a pleasant, shady place to enjoy the sun and the water while staying safe from hazardous materials.
14. Some cleanup sites are smaller
But no matter how big or small the effort, it’s all about people coming together to work hard and make their communities a safer, more beautiful place.
15. You’re also never too young
These kids pitched in on a beach cleanup in Florida, proving there’s no age limit for lending a hand. They can be proud of making those beaches beautiful once again.
16. The challenge made its way to all corners of the globe
These high school students from Norway came together to tackle a beach full of trash and ended up gathering a whopping 12,400 kg. It took them a week and the combined effort of 40 students.
17. It’s not all about beaches and waterways
The side of the road is a place where trash tends to accumulate, especially since people often throw garbage from their car windows as they drive. This poster spent his birthday doing a roadside cleanup.
18. Even vacation getaways need beach cleanup
Go to a place that has a lot of tourists and you’ll find, well, a lot of garbage. These beach visitors in Belize did their part to help clean up the shore.
19. Tackling a lawn in South Africa
The #trashtag challenge even went down to South Africa where some volunteers took it upon themselves to clear this lawn of garbage.
20. Taking some time off … to clean
This poster was in the middle of a day off-roading in the California wilderness when he spotted some trash on the mountainside. So, like any good person, he decided to stop to clean it up.
21. Going the extra mile
These people even went another step further. Not only did they take it upon themselves to clean up their street, but they also planted some beautiful flowers.
22. Look at all those trash bags!
This determined group of volunteers tackled a huge amount of trash. There’s no before picture, but judging by the mountain in the background, they made the area beautiful again.
23. Collecting trash for reuse
The only thing better than cleaning up trash is using what’s gathered for recycling. This group of Russian volunteers sent 75 percent of their cleanup (more than 220 bags of trash!) to be recycled.
24. The challenge even transcends language
Not all of us speak the same language but we all care about cleaning up the environment. These volunteers in Spain tackled a problem area, making it as beautiful as the mountains in the background.
25. The challenge is appealing to teens
One post from March 5 challenged teenagers to get out of the house if they were bored and start doing some good in their communities. Cleaning up trash is a perfect way to do that.
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