Through Facebook we came across a new phenomenon, the "trash tag," which is all about cleaning up litter. Very good of course! Below we explain what this challenge entails but especially why we at Retulp hope that good initiatives like this become obsolete!

#trashtag

The "Trashtag Challenge" is a trend currently going around on social media. Under the #trashtag, people post two photos underneath each other. The top one shows the btreating person in a place, such as a beach, forest or roadside, that is heavily littered. The second picture shows that same person surrounded by garbage bags filled with the litter. The polluted place has been cleaned up!

 

International success

After some research, it turns out the #trashtag is not a new phenomenon. American outdoor brand UCO launched the term back in 2015, to encourage people to clean up litter they encountered on their hike or camping trip. But only last weekend did the term become known worldwide through users on Instagram and Reddit. Since then, there have already been 24,000 posts on Instagram using this hashtag.

 

Prevention is better than recycling

Let's start with the fact that these kinds of initiatives are of course fantastic and applaud everyone who participates, even without # or social media. Waste does not belong in nature, where it can harm animals, plants and humans. Unfortunately, the people who roll up their sleeves to clean up the trash are most likely not the same people who threw the trash there in the first place.

Of course, the solution lies not only in cleaning up the waste, but especially in preventing it. The motto of Retulp is not for nothing; Prevention is better than recycling. Disposed waste must also be processed and destroyed.

We cheer very loudly for such wonderful initiatives, but also hope that they will not be needed in the future. And in the meantime, we take a trash bag with us on our weekly walk!