# Trashtag Trashtag, also known as #trashtag or #detrashed, is a social media challenge where people post before-and-after photos of outdoor spots they have cleaned up of litter. Ecological activist Steven Reinhold launched the project in September 2015, but it exploded worldwide in March 2019 after a viral Facebook post dared bored teens to pick up trash, kicking off one of the biggest cleanup trends of that year. ## Origin Steven Reinhold, a backcountry guide and UCO Gear ambassador, announced the Trashtag Project on September 15, 2015 in a blog post on Teton Gravity Research[1]. He described hauling garbage out of Yosemite Valley and other wild sites and called on Instagram users to post their own cleanup photos for a chance to win sponsored gear through UCO's trashtagproject.com site[3]. The hashtag got some traction among outdoor sport fans but stayed niche for nearly four years. - **Platform:** Teton Gravity Research blog (2015) / Facebook and Reddit (2019 viral spread) - **Creator:** Steven Reinhold - **Date:** 2015 ## Overview The challenge works through a simple visual format: a side-by-side photograph of a littered location, usually a beach, park, roadside or forest, next to the same spot after the poster has bagged and hauled the garbage away[1]. Participants tag the images with #trashtag or the related #detrashed on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Reddit to document the cleanup and encourage others to try it[9]. Many posts show stacks of filled trash bags lined up in the 'after' frame as proof of work. The tone tends to be wholesome and self-motivated rather than preachy, with captions often framing the cleanup as a weekend project or a personal dare. On Reddit the cleanups spread largely through r/pics and the dedicated r/DeTrashed community, where contributors share local waterway, trail and park haul-outs[2]. ## How to Use Participants typically pick a littered outdoor location, photograph it, bag the trash, then photograph the same angle again. Posts commonly show the filled bags lined up as proof and are tagged #trashtag or #detrashed on Instagram, Reddit, Twitter or Facebook[9]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Trashtag? Trashtag is a social media cleanup challenge where users post before-and-after photos of outdoor locations they have cleared of litter, tagged with #trashtag or #detrashed[1]. ### Where did Trashtag come from? UCO Gear ambassador Steven Reinhold launched the Trashtag Project in a Teton Gravity Research blog post on September 15, 2015[1], but the challenge went viral in March 2019 after Byron Roman's Facebook post spread across Reddit[5]. ### What does Trashtag mean? The name combines 'trash' with 'hashtag' and refers to tagging cleanup photos so they can be cataloged on social media; the name '#trashtag' was proposed for the 2019 revival by Reddit user FatalShart[9]. ### How do you use Trashtag? Pick a littered outdoor spot, photograph it, bag and remove the trash, then photograph the same angle and post both images with the #trashtag hashtag[1]. ### Is Trashtag still popular? The hashtag peaked in viral reach in March 2019 after Byron Roman's Facebook post[4]; dedicated communities like r/DeTrashed hosted ongoing cleanup posts in the aftermath[2]. ## References 1. [https://www.tetongravity.com/story/adventure/the-trashtag-project]() 2. [https://www.reddit.com/r/DeTrashed/comments/azib7g/trashtag_just_one_of_the_many_days_cleaning_our/]() 3. [https://web.archive.org/web/20160619145753/http://trashtagproject.com/]() 4. [https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10156466235064055]() 5. [https://www.reddit.com/r/wholesomememes/comments/az3ejn/this_should_be_the_new_challenge_to_make_the/]() 6. [https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/az8c5f/trashtag_seems_to_be_trending_this_ones_from_nepal/]() 7. [https://www.facebook.com/SaveEarthFromHumans/posts/422043878542506]() 8. [https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/azgote/whats_going_on_with_the_trashtag/]() 9. [https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/trashtag]() 10. [https://www.reddit.com/r/quityourbullshit/comments/azfplm/karma_farming_off_trashtag/]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/trashtag Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library