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When you see a piece of trash on the ground, you pick it up.
That’s trashpicking.
To become a trashpicker. You need a trash bag, one glove, an eye on the ground, and a place in your neighborhood with lots of litter.
You can trash pick by yourself or with friends.
As long as you stay safe, you can trashpick any time of day.
Find a pile of trash in your neighborhood, then pick it up, and put it into a bag.
When you see something that's not supposed to be there, and you care about neighborhood cleanliness, then trashpicking is right for you.
The end-to-end process of trashpicking involves:
You don’t need much equipment to start trashpicking, but better gear makes the job more beneficial. Here’s your starter pack:
Basics work fine, but I prefer premium gear, like these biodegradable yellow trash bags (Amazon), these black nitrile single-use safety gloves (Amazon), and a COB safety light (Amazon) when I’m trashpicking at night.
That’s as advanced as my trashpicking repertoire has become so far, but I have been considering several upgrades. With trashpicking, personal protective equipment (PPE) is par for course.
Through the grit and grime, you reap several personal benefits.
Trashpicking is a great excuse to get out of the house. Getting outdoors for some healthy light exercise is only the most obvious part. Look at the trees, smell the flowers, and soak up some sun rays. Stretch your legs, lubricate your knees, and clear your mind.
The grit and grime of picking dirty and decomposing items is not good for your health, but maybe exposure to more potent and diverse bacteria can boost your immune system over time.
Graycare is NOT a doctor.
Trashpicking gives low-income people a purpose to show themselves in public. From what I’ve seen in post-COVID America, most people stay in their houses. If they come out of the house, it’s usually by automobile. Or if they dare to walk on foot, they usually wear athletic apparel to signal they have wealth. As a trashpicking introvert, I turn depressed loneliness into a good mission for my neighborhood.
People suffering from social anxiety don’t need to talk to their neighbors while trashpicking. Just keep your eyes on the prize, which is trash on the ground. Friends and strangers can join in your trashpicking activities. Keep a spare bag and glove on your person, to spread the duty to those who ask what you’re doing.
The more you trashpick in your neighborhood, the more your neighbors become comfortable with you being there.
It’s extra special when you’re trashpicking and find a treasure. I’ve found Contigo bottles, Patron bottles, Crown Royal bags, rubber bands, hand tools, spare change, dollar bills, credit cards, and I know where to find more. If you decide to pocket a helpful or hedonistic item, be sure to wash it off when you get home before use.
After trashpicking across state-lines, I’d say these are the most common trash found alongside city streets:
The most rotten kind of trash is beverages with underbugs living in its stinky sticky.
A good trashpicker removes the most visible trash, typically white papers and shiny plastics. An experienced trashpicker combs ground-level for weathered napkins and shattered glass shards invisible to the naked eye. Each one is worth a million bucks!
Graycare is NOT a doctor.
Just keep on spotting, picking, and sorting the trash. If neighborhood beautification is your goal, picking the visibles carries the greatest effect.
Discovering a new kind of waste in your neighborhood makes the search worthwhile. I’ve come across maybe valuable fire extinguishers, windshield wipers, camping tents, umbrellas, and vintage t-shirts.
You'd be surprised what you can dig up, if you just look and pick.
Muy peligroso. Demasiado peligroso. You can’t always see the hazards in your area in dense grassy areas, especially when visibility is limited in the darkness of night. In my experience, these are the most common health and safety hazards when trashpicking:
Trashpicking is the simple act of picking up trash to clean up your neighborhood. All it takes is a trash bag, one glove, a watchful eye, and a willingness to make a difference.
With inexpensive gear you buy in bulk, you can safely pick up anything from plastic bottles to rotten nasties.
It’s good exercise and an opportunity to explore your surroundings - even if you’re shy around people - and especially gratifying when you find unexpected treasures along the way.
Trashpicking is one way to turn your wish for a nicer neighborhood into a real hobby that works.
Just remember to stay safe by being mindful of hazards like reckless drivers, sharp objects, hidden obstacles, and stinky undesirables.
