#trashtag The #trashtag movement is gaining momentum

You may have heard about the new Internet phenomenon called the #TrashTag challenge. It is certainly gaining traction.

If you haven't, here's how it works.

The idea is modeled after the old #IceBucketChallenge. That's where people dumped a bucket of ice water on their heads and then agreed to pledge a few dollars.

The program was a fantastic way to raise both money and awareness for ALS disease (a motor neuron disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.)

You know your program is working when billionaire Bill Gates dumps a bucket of water on his head and then posts it on social media.

A few other challenges have come and gone, usually rather quickly. Like chewing on detergent pods. That trend as you can imagine, was not very beneficial to anyone.

#TrashTag is a selfie for a reason

But this new one - #TrashTag is really starting to blow up. And for a good cause.

The idea is simple. Anyone can do it. And participating gives you a satisfying feeling because those involved are not only promoting themselves, but doing something beneficial for their fellow humans.

Basically, the concept is to find an area that has a trash problem.

trash receptacles Keep America Beautiful says its researchers found that litter tends to create more litter, especially with overfilled trash receptacles

Take a "Before" photo.

Then clean up the litter and place all that trash neatly in trash bags (probably not a big requirement. The main idea is to get rid of the trash and dispose of it properly, for example, in trash receptacles).

Then shoot an "After" photo showing the park, roadway, sidewalk or area clean and litter free.

Post the two photos on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or any other social media outlet and include the hashtag "TrashTag.

There you go. Anyone can become an instant minor celebrity. Especially in their community.

Apparently, the "TrashTag" idea bounced around a few years ago.

Reportedly an outdoor company launched "TrashTagProject" as a way to "keep nature beautiful for everyone to enjoy for decades to come."

But the idea recently gained new legs because a Facebook user poised this concept to youngsters "Here is a new #challenge for all you bored teens."

"Take a photo of an area that needs some cleaning or maintenance. Then take a photo after you have done something about it and post it."

Many teens accepted the challenge. Now the tweets and posts are snowballing around the world.

Brilliant. Now normally, it's not easy to get young people to clean up their trash. In fact, research by Keep America Beautiful found teenagers are one group that tends to litter the most.

But by adding this simple social media element, many teens are now motivated to show they care about their environment and are willing to step up.

The land and seas are filling with litter

This is the type of challenge we should all get behind.

As we have reported before many times, litter is a big problem in the world. The average person produces more than 4 pounds of trash per day.

Most of it ends up in trash receptacles at home. Outdoors, not so much.

And one of the big problems that researchers from Keep America Beautiful have found is that litter promotes more litter.

If people see an overfilled trash receptacle surrounded by garbage on the ground, they will see that as a red light for them to toss their trash there too. Or if people see litter on a roadway, they might think it is okay for them to throw their empty soda bottle there as well. After all, someone else seemed to think that this behavior was okay.

People might also assume, well, someone will surely pick it up.

One of our favorite anti-litter slogans is: "Your Mother Does Not Work Here."

Don't count on someone else to fix the problem.

And mom should not be picking up after anyone anyway. (You can see more anti-litter slogans here).

So, tell your friends about #TrashTag. Share it on social media.

Go get some trash bags and create your own #trashtag experience.

There's certainly plenty of trashy places to go around.

The timing of this movement couldn't be better. Litter is becoming a big issue worldwide.

One study said since 1950, about 8 billion metric tons of plastic have been manufactured, which is the equivalent of 1 billion elephants. Plastic as you know, takes a very long time to decompose. That's one reason we are running out of space for landfills.

Plastics are also polluting our oceans. Experts predict that at the rate we are going, soon there will be more discarded plastic in our oceans than fish. We need fish. We don't need all that plastic.

There's a big demand for recycled plastic pellets

Ironically, sustainability programs have become so popular, that there is a big demand for "green" products such as recycled plastic picnic tables and recycled plastic benches.

Manufacturers are reporting they need more plastic scrap. Grind down those old milk bottles and they will use it!

Purchasing products made out of recycled materials completes the all-important Recycling Loop: Collect - Manufacture - Reuse.

Reportedly there's one picture floating around the social mediasphere of a parks and recreation employee standing in front of a once-polluted river.

That person smiles and declares: "I hope #TrashTag never ends."

It doesn't have to. Or we can at least promote the great concept for a very long time.

There's one thing that's certain.

There will always be trash that needs to be collected. (Although hopefully, the amount will continue to diminish with awareness and movements like this).

Luckily, now there's a major opposing force that can fight all that litter.

A bored teenager with a plastic trash bag and a selfie.

Let's reward this behavior for all it's worth.

We have a planet to save. As the saying goes, "There is no Planet B."

These "TrashTag kids can play a big part in making that happen. Encourage and support them.