Trash Party volunteers clean up Columbus
Why it matters: The grassroots Trash Party group has been uniting strangers to pick up litter across Columbus, and its cleanup efforts are drawing praise from city leaders.
Stunning stat: In just a few months, volunteers have already collected 1,500 bags of trash.
They've also hauled away 50 shopping carts, dozens of tires and hundreds of propane tanks, with all the waste totaling over 18,000 pounds.
Flashback: It all started with a Reddit post by local engineer Collin Marshall, who noticed lots of litter along local highways and on the trails near his neighborhood.
"It just feels so easy to get a grabber, get a trash bag and just fill up a bag while you're going on a walk," he tells Axios.
"I figured, there's gotta be more people interested in this than just me."
He was right — though it took time to gain momentum. For the first event, just a friend and a roommate joined Marshall in cleaning up an alleyway.
But once he started posting pictures, more people started showing up.
The latest: Today, Trash Party has grown to 30-40 people meeting up every weekend, all from different parts of town and walks of life.
Keep Columbus Beautiful, a city improvement program, has provided supplies.
Schmidt's donated free meals via its food truck, and businesses like JPMorgan Chase have sent volunteers to help.
Between the lines: Beyond cleaning up litter, Trash Party volunteers are bonding over their shared desire to do good at a time when people are feeling increasingly isolated.
They're also connecting with local people and places Marshall says are often "forgotten," including homeless encampments.
What's next: Marshall plans to keep hosting events as long as interest endures.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Woman Hiking in Woods With Grandma 'Very Confused' by Sign They Stumble On
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A woman was left scratching her head at a sign she came across while hiking with her grandmother in a New Hampshire forest. Aurora was out near Coit Mountain in Newport when she came across a laminated picture stapled to a tree that had them both baffled. "We honestly were very confused," Aurora told Newsweek. "We had never seen anything like this, and took a picture of it to ask about later." The sign presented a photograph of a can of maple syrup being poured onto a plate of what appears to be French toast. There were no words to accompany what was shown, leaving Aurora and her grandma clueless as to what it meant. Fortunately, Aurora knew exactly where to turn to for an answer: social media. "I usually go to Reddit to see if anyone knows and because I love the community," she said. Posting under the handle u/GayFurryThing, she posted the picture alongside a question asking: "What is this that my grandma and I found while hiking?" A sign found in a work in Newport, New Hampshire. A sign found in a work in Newport, New Hampshire. u/GayFurryThing Social media platforms like Reddit are popular because they help people to achieve a sense of social connection in what is an increasingly fragmented world. A 2016 study published in the Journal of Computer Information Systems detailed an experiment in which researchers observed a large sample size of students from a U.S. university as they engaged with Facebook. They found that the more these platforms helped users connect positively with others, the happier and more satisfied they felt about their social media use. Aurora's experience is a case in point. Initially befuddled by the sign she came across hiking, by reaching out online she was able to get the help she needed from several Reddit users who appeared to have knowledge of what the sign meant. "It is for a local sugar shack near the hiking trail," Aurora said. "It's a place where they make tons of maple syrup and usually sell it along with other things." This was confirmed in a series of comments left under the Reddit post, which earned over 1,800 upvotes. "I think it's a poster used in a guided sugarshack tour," one wrote. Another concurred: "It's a hut where they boil the sap to make maple syrup. Often seasonally open for educational purposes / tours (usually February / March). Part of the New England kid trifecta of school field trips: sugar shack, cider press, and dairy farm." Though there was a logical answer, plenty shared Aurora's sense of confusion at the sign. "I thought that was a can of baked beans," one said. "Maple syrup in a can?!? Say what?" another wrote, with a third adding: "Wait. What? I've lived in New Hampshire my entire life and have never seen syrup in a can. Where are you getting cans of maple syrup?!" A fourth concurred: "I grew up in New York, and this is my first time ever seeing maple syrup in a can." While the debate over maple syrup in cans rages on, Aurora can be content knowing that, should she come across a similar sign on another hike, she, and plenty of other people on the internet, will now know what it means.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bride Faces Dilemma as Groom Insists on Only Inviting Wedding Guests Likely to Give Gifts Valued at $300 or More
The bride said that she was feeling "really conflicted" by her husband-to-be's suggestion A bride-to-be is questioning the ethics behind her fiancé's wedding guest list criteria. In a post on Reddit's "Wedding" forum, the bride shared how her fiancé suggested that they should only invite friends and family who will give them wedding gifts valued at $300 or higher. Now, the woman is "feeling really conflicted" and is asking Reddit users for their perspective on the situation. "I'm not sure how to feel," she admitted. For context, the bride explained that her fiancé and his family do not have a history of greediness. In fact, they've all been very "generous." At the couple's engagement party, the groom-to-be covered "70%" of the costs and his side of the family gave them "cash gifts" even though there was no expectation. The bride's family did not give gifts, nor did the majority of her friends. "He was pretty disappointed by that and now seems guarded," the Redditor recalled of her fiancé's reaction to the low gift count. He is also "paying for most" of their wedding expenses. Following the party, the soon-to-be bride and groom had a conversation about their wedding guest list. "When I told him I'd like to invite about 100 people from my side, he said we should only invite guests who would likely give at least $300 in gifts," the bride wrote. "I told him that felt really transactional, and in the heat of the moment, I said something I regret. We haven't spoken since." Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She asked the forum: "Is it reasonable for him to feel that way? Or is this a red flag?" Fellow Reddit users had mixed reactions in the comments section. Some Redditors noted that only inviting well-off guests was "definitely transactional," and that the groom "sounds greedy," with his suggestion being a "massive red flag." "I would think if he expects guests to supplement what he's putting into the wedding that maybe you guys should scale back to a level he feels more comfortable spending," the top comment reads. "I'm sorry you're dealing with this uncomfortable situation." A few Redditors advised the bride to reevaluate her relationship moving forward. "Getting married is a celebration of your life together. It is a chance to thank all of the people who have helped you along the way and that you love. I cannot imagine marrying someone who is this transactional and cruel. Not everyone can afford that level of gift," one person wrote. "Sorry, but I honestly think this is a great opportunity to reevaluate the relationship and determine if this is genuinely someone you want to spend the rest of your life with." Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
Man's Leg Sinks in Backyard of 1900s Home—Then They Find a Buried Structure
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A post about a strange tale of an unexpected discovery in a historic backyard has captivated Reddit users. Shared by user u/YogurtclosetOld2511 in the r/centuryhomes subreddit, the post titled "My husband's leg went through the yard" has amassed over 3,100 upvotes and hundreds of comments since it was posted a month ago. "Let me introduce y'all to our latest curiosity, The Grasshole," the Redditor wrote, alongside photos showing two feet beside a gaping hole in a grassy yard and a close-up of the unexpected void. According to the post, the poster's husband was walking casually through the yard when his right leg plunged into the ground—up to above the knee. "Amazingly, he didn't get hurt," they noted, reassuring readers that they plan to "HAVE IT INSPECTED." The post arrives amid a broader trend in homeownership. According to a survey conducted by home design site Houzz, money spent on home renovation surged by 60 percent between 2020 and 2023. Median renovation spending climbed from $15,000 to $24,000, with more than half of homeowners spending $25,000 or more on upgrades in 2023. As homeowners continue to invest in modernizing older properties, surprising discoveries—like this one—highlight the architectural quirks of century-old residences. According to the post, a recently retired city engineer also weighed in, advising the couple that the hole is likely harmless, but recommending it be filled with concrete or whatever a plumber may advise. The poster shared additional context about the mysterious void. "The specs/more context," the post reads. "Metal aperture is about 18" across. Depth measured at 10'. Hole widens after several feet—cannot tell how expansive it is." Their home, built in 1900, sits near the outer edge of city utilities and was surrounded by farmland until the late 1950s. The original builders likely relied on independent systems before the arrival of municipal infrastructure. The post suggests that the hole could be a relic from that time. "Best guess is it's an old cistern or remains of a septic system," they wrote. "I'm planning to comb the city's historical documentation for more info." While urban mysteries like "The Grasshole" may be unusual, they're not entirely uncommon in century-old homes, where forgotten septic tanks, cisterns, or root cellars occasionally resurface. "There's also a very good chance the previous owners (of 30+ years) didn't know it existed," the Redditor added. "Whatever they capped it with was covered by grass and finally deteriorated." Interestingly, the hole had previously become a dumping ground—albeit accidentally. "House came with a comically large (6' corner to corner) fire pit constructed of pavers, which of course had all cracked, because they are pavers. We decommissioned that monstrosity, and tossed it into The Grasshole. The ash coated the rustic stone masonry that lines the belly of this beast." 'That's Wild' While the couple waits on a professional assessment, the Reddit thread drew theories from fellow homeowners and curious observers. U/meatballglomerulus said: "That's wild. Did y'all cover it with something in the meanwhile so it doesn't become a haunted toad hole?" U/kbn_ wrote: "My money is on old septic tank but without seeing down into it, really hard to say for sure. It could also be a cistern or even a well, but the cement looks too modern for that type of a shallow fresh water feature. Glad your husband's leg is okay!" U/tbs3456 said: "10' is really deep for a septic tank. My moneys on cistern/well." U/ChildhoodSea7062 said: "I wonder if you have a bomb shelter on the property." Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via the Reddit messaging system. A stock image of a man walk through a grass field. A stock image of a man walk through a grass field. Getty Do you have a home-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
