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Viral ‘Trashtag Challenge’ encouraging people to clean up communities

(WFLA) — The latest viral internet challenge is one everyone can get behind – it’s encouraging people to get out and bag up litter to help clean communities.

The wholesome “Trashtag Challenge” started going viral on social media last week. The idea behind it is simple: Take a “before” picture of an area that’s full of litter, then take an “after” picture to show the area all cleaned up.

The “before and after” pictures are then shared online using the #trashtag hashtag.

Hundreds of people around the world have jumped on board with the challenge and have been sharing the images on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Reddit.

The challenge actually dates back to 2015 when it was launched by a company called UCO. In a press release dated Oct. 6, 2015, the company said the #TrashTag Project was a movement encouraging everyone to “commit to picking up after ourselves and one another in the wilderness.”

It appears the challenge resurfaced last week when a man named Byron Román posted his “before and after” pictures.

“Here is a new #challenge for all you bored teens,” he wrote. “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.”