#TrashBucketChallenge

NOTE correction: Bahar Yaghoubi and J.r. Missoula started the challenge in Oahu on Aug 19th (a mere 17 days ago) and it is going viral! WOO HOO!

On March 2013 I sent this out on Face Book
FACE BOOK CHALLENGE - Clutter clear a park, a sidewalk and post it on FB. Let's see if we can get a movement happening.

…Ya, I know, not too inspiring. My sister-in-law, Diane responded.

BUT NOW over a year later, people are getting enthusiastic about keeping our parks, beaches and public spaces litter free and Face Book is providing the perfect forum for coming together, spreading the word, and sharing our passion with creativity and fun.

I have found my people…or rather they have found me.

I can't tell you how excited I was to see the Trash Bucket Challenge show up on FB. Bahar Yaghoubi and J.r. Missoula in Oahu on Aug 19th, inspired by the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, set up this one.

Basically:
- Get a bucket
- Go to a location
- Fill the bucket full with the garbage that you collect there
- With the hashtag TrashBucketChallenge post your video or pictures online of your bucket, location and appropriate disposal of garbage.
- In your video or text challenge others to do the same - 3 seems to be a popular number
- Timelines to fulfill the challenge range from 24 hrs to a week to open ended.

Here's what Bahar Yaghoubi wrote on Aug 19…
"We had the good fortune to spend a beautiful weekend camping on the North Shore, and walk along some of the most pristine beaches. However, on our walks we came across the not so pretty sights of humanity: trash, trash, and more trash (not to mention plenty of dead fish that probably ate some of the trash). On our walk we FOUND a 5-gallon bucket on the beach and in less than 30 minutes filled it up to the brim. We challenge you to do the same, post a pic or video of yourself with a bucket (or bag) full of trash you picked up from either a beach, a park, neighborhood, or anywhere that can use a cleaning and properly dispose of it. Don't forget to tag it: #trashbucketchallenge. Tell your family, tell students, tell your neighbors, let's do this together, and let's make a difference... It's Earth Day, everyday. I challenge YOU! #trashbucketchallenge

He posted a video to go along with it but I couldn't get it to appear so you'll have to go to the FB site TrashBucketChallenge. Check out the video that started it all (you have to go to the beginning of the site) and the rest. It's so amazing to see this happening as a world-wide movement!

I was thrilled to join the challenge with others who feel passionate about our environment.

I've always wanted to be able to put together something "film-like" so I looked on this as a FUN project to put together. Well, I can tell ya, it really challenged my limited tekkie skills but with A LOT (and I mean tons) of trial and error, and dogged determination here it is.

…the challenge now will be to remember just how I did this whole thing.

A WALK IN THE PARK

Would we do things differently if we realized that the earth is a living thing?

Walking at Burlington Beach strip yesterday I saw a plastic bag clinging to a bush. Since, before I got out of my car, I had made a pact to fill any bag I found with litter, I proceeded to do so, and then another and another...til 5 were filled. I had to put empty plastic bags into my collection bags as there were too many bags to fill during the time allotted for my walk.

I apologized to the ducks who lived there, that our species treats their home like a garbage dump.

Today I went to a local park. I started out with a bag from home in case I didn't find any empty plastic bags - fat chance of this happening - but you never know. I prefer to think of myself as an optimist.

So, I began here with my one bag and as was the case yesterday, I found many more to fill. 

The white bits aren't snow. They're plastic shopping bags.

4 bags filled in 45 minutes. I also filled 2 more on my way home - about a 2 minute walk from here.

At one point, as I crouched down pecking at the bits of plastic embedded in the earth I was joined by 2 curious geese who must have felt a bond with me. There we were all pecking along together.

As I went deeper into the bush I noticed that a man was eyeing me - probably thinks I'm a nut case or something. People do tend to give you a wide berth when you are a grey haired woman, dressed down for a mission. But he reappeared at the other side of the fence shortly afterwards.

"Thanks for doing this. You beat me to it. I usually clear out the stuff in the park in a few weeks time, when the snow has cleared and the weather is good. (It was a beautiful, sunny, unseasonable warm day today.) I live in the building just over there." he pointed to the condos down the way. "I think the garbage gets blown across the road over from the mall, the grocery store and Tim's. I've asked Tim's to clear the stuff from the parking lot but they put up signs asking people to clear their own garbage and be considerate, but obviously this isn't helping."

We chatted for a while about our efforts to tend the park and the areas around our homes.

I wish I could say that the extensive amount of garbage is from the mall but my experience down at the more remote park yesterday tells me otherwise. And, these are the places where we go to get in touch with nature and restore our souls. That's a fine thank you, eh?!

FACE BOOK CHALLENGE - Clutter clear a park, a sidewalk and post it on FB. Let's see if we can get a movement happening.