The viral 'Trashtag Challenge' encourages people to clean up litter
There's a new viral challenge spreading across social media, and it's making the world a cleaner place.
The "Trashtag Challenge" is inspiring people on Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit to take a walk outside and clean up any litter they stumble upon.
To participate in the challenge, simply seek out a litter-filled area or overflowing trashcan, clean it up, and share before and after photos online using the hashtag #trashtag. It's incredibly wholesome.
The hashtag has been around for years, and in 2015 UCO, a company that makes gear for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities, even started the #TrashTag Project to inspire people to work together to pick up 10,000 pieces of trash in the wilderness by October 2016. But the movement gained traction again over the weekend, and reposts that explain the challenge, like this one from @thescientistfacts, are helping spread the word.
As more and more people learn about the challenge, they've been sharing their own #trashtag efforts on social media. The before and after shots are truly an inspiring sight.
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The constructive, and even somewhat earnest social media challenge is a refreshing change of pace, especially after a series of dangerous viral challenges that have taken over the internet over the past few years.
Though some challenges like the Cheese Challenge, in which people throw slices of cheese on babies and dogs, are lighthearted and fun, others have the potential to cause real harm. The Bird Box Challenge, where people attempted daily tasks while blindfolded caused at least one car wreck in January. And who could forget 2018's infamous Tide Pod Challenge, which consisted of teens daring each other to eat the toxic, detergent-filled pods.
Let's keep the good viral challenge streak going, please.
Topics Activism Instagram Social Media X/Twitter Reddit
Nicole is a Senior Editor at Mashable. She primarily covers entertainment and digital culture trends, and in her free time she can be found watching TV, sending voice notes, or going viral on Twitter for admiring knitwear. You can follow her on Twitter @nicolemichele5.
