Of the Trashtag Challenge to the Trash Heroes

A young man with a thick Beard sitting on a chair in the middle of a Meadow, surrounded by garbage. On the next picture he is sitting in the same place, in the same attitude. Only the garbage is now no longer scattered, but neatly in bags Packed at his feet. Such images stories circulating currently a bunch of on the Internet. On social media such as Facebook and Instagram, the so-called Trashtag Challenge is in high demand; people nominate their friends and Acquaintances to encourage them to release a day in any place of lying around the garbage. The task is fulfilled, it is given to the next Person.

He's cleaned: Trashtag Challenge in Brazil. Photo: Instagram/Boa Vista De São Caetano

change of scene. A young woman crouches in front of a staircase in the vicinity of Berne place and mutters quietly to himself. "Two, four, six, eight, ten. Two, four, six, eight, twenty." Always two cigarette butts on once she takes the plastic Cup and places it on a pile. A hundred pieces will be here at the end. A hundred out of a total of 6081 discarded cigarettes have been collected in the last few hours together.

The young woman belongs to a group of people who set out on a Saturday in March, to get rid of Bern from the trash – without you have been previously nominated. What makes the rounds on the Internet, have discovered the so-called Trash Heroes, in English, "trash heroes", a long time ago. Once a month they take a place in the city, arm yourself with garbage bags and gloves and do not collect what is on the ground. In retrospect, all of the bag empty to be sorted out of the recyclable materials such as PET, glass and metal and, for additional clarification of the problem, each individual cigarette butts are counted.

"If one collects the half-day garbage, this quickly leads to a rethink": Michel Buhler, the main person in charge of the Trash Heroes. Photo: Enrique Muñoz García

the collected garbage will be Picked up subsequently by employees of the municipal civil engineering office. "The collaboration with the city of Bern is enormously important," explains Michel Bühler, the main person in charge of the Berne Trash Heroes. Even before the first occasion was last year in March instead, he has set himself with the authorities, asked whether the voluntary Engagement is wanted and ensure that you will not be fined for it.

Those heroes that take that Saturday to a part of the population in the mountain forest, come from all ages and walks of life. Of dedicated young people on a business-minded adults to young mothers with their children – all must be pick up at the collective Garbage. "We try to make the events as family friendly as possible," explains Bühler.

For the Trash Heroes is the Pick-up of garbage is more than just a Trend. You will notice in the interview with the Participants quickly: All always try to live environmentally conscious, some of them are also involved elsewhere on a voluntary basis. And many attended only the day before at the climate change demo in Bern.

"One, two, three, pour it out!": The Trash Heroes have collected an impressive amount of waste. Video: Sheila Matti

With the graduates of the viral Trashtag Challenge the Bernese heroes have one thing in common: The social media is also an important role for them. On Facebook, the Trash-organize Heroes, to publish the data of the next cleanup and post heaps of pictures of your successes. And also on Saturday, the statement of the organizers was: "take photos and Videos, and share them on Instagram and Facebook. As we reach more and more people."

Nevertheless, Michel Bühler followed the viral Trashtag Challenge with skepticism. "Actually, it is a good thing," he muses, while he fishes a piece of plastic from a Bush, "but there is a great danger that people will fall back after the Challenge back into your old patterns." Actually, the work of the hero is only a symptom treatment, Buhler. "If you collect but half of the day garbage, this quickly leads to a rethinking." The confirmed that Saturday was also the many newcomers. So fast you will throw certainly no cigarette butts on the ground.

(Berner Zeitung)

Created: 11.04.2019, 16:56 PM