Trash Haul Campaign

Challenge friends and classmates to carry around all the garbage they generate in a day to encourage them to reduce consumption and increase recycling. Start a Trash Stash in your community!

Did you know that the average American generates around 5 pounds of garbage a day? This includes uneaten food, packaging and single use water and drink bottles. Most people aren’t aware of how much waste they generate, and awareness can be a powerful tool for change.

How do I get started?

• Download our PDF, which can help frame some of the issues you’ll want to consider before launching a successful campaign.

• Research the issue.

• Get permission from school administrators and teachers, and figure out the optimal messaging and media campaign. Advertise your mission, and create incentives for participation. Be sure to include information on basic steps for what people can do to reduce their consumption, and to reuse and recycle their trash.

How can I expand this narrative arc? Create a social media campaign that educates people on what can, and can’t, be recycled. Work with your local sanitation crew to gain a better understanding of the common mistakes people make, and educate your neighbors on the consequences of non-compliance with the rules. Address issues from both global and local perspectives. Or link up with an international organization like Litterati, which helps people track (and address) litter in their communities.