Tally Trash Challenge
Thank you!
Even though the Challenge is over, we encourage everyone to keep picking up litter along the way. Just bring a bag with you when you go for neighborhood walks or when hiking on a trail. Together we can continue to make a difference.
Thank you to Notary Public Underwriters for sponsoring the Challenge. Thank you to the businesses that supported the 2023 Tally Trash Challenge: Alchemy Climbing, Community Co-op Market, Dunsel’s, The Great Bicycle Shop, Journeys in Yoga, Lofty Pursuits, Lucky Goat Coffee, Native Nurseries, Orchard Pond, The Other Side Vintage, Proctor Subaru, Proof Brewing Co., REI, Wild Birds Unlimited, and Target.
FAQ:
How do I participate?
It’s easy! Just pick up a bag of trash – anytime, anywhere – and post a picture of it to your social media account and tag #tallytrashchallenge2023.
Can my kids participate?
Yes! This is a great way to teach your kiddos about the environment and litter. We will even have special prize packs just for the kids. The winners for these will be announced online on 9/17.
How many times can I enter?
One entry per post. One post per trash clean-up.
How big of a bag do I have to fill?
Any size bag will do! The goal of the Challenge is to show that you don’t have to wait to volunteer at a clean-up event on Earth Day in order to do a little good. If you’re taking a walk to your favorite park and fill up a shopping bag with litter, that is great! If you spend the morning clearing out a lot and fill up three trash bags, that is also wonderful!
Where should I post my picture?
We will be accepting posts on Facebook and Instagram. Make sure to tag #tallytrashchallenge2023 and Sustainable Tallahassee in your post. We encourage you to post your picture to your grid/wall because that will be your ticket to the prize raffles at the Cheers to the Challenge social on 9/17.
If you don’t have social media, you can send your picture to kristen@sustainabletallahassee.org to be added.
Do I have to be in the picture?
Not if you don’t want to! Although we’d love to see your happy face, the only thing we need to see is your trash haul.
What if I particpated in a group clean-up? Can I still enter?
We hope you do! The great thing about the Challenge is that you can do it alone, with some friends, or with a whole group. If you participate in a group clean up, make sure you post your own picture to social media. Posts on business or organization social media accounts will not be eligible to win the prizes (although we love to see it).
Can anyone attend the social?
Absolutely! You don’t have to have participated to join us at Cheers to the Challenge.
When will you announce the prizes?
We will have two Challenge Check-ins during the Challenge on 9/7 and 9/14. These prizes will be raffled off to everyone who has participated so far. At the end of the challenge, there will be an online drawing for participants as well. ST will reach out to the winners to arrange drop-off.
The kiddo prize packs will be announced online on 9/17. ST will reach out to the winner to arrange drop-off.
The rest of the prizes will be announced and distributed at the Cheers to the Challenge social on 9/17 at DEEP Brewing Co. from 2-4 and you will have to be there to win.
Other ways to support the Challenge:
Mobilize
With a lofty goal of engaging 1,000 volunteers, we need all hands on deck! If you are a member of an organization, group, or business, participate by encouraging your group to join the Challenge! You can also organize your own trash clean-up during the Challenge period- just make sure to post to social media when you’re done!
Promote
We need volunteers to help promote the Tally Trash Challenge by hanging flyers on campus, at parks, or at your business. You can help simply by printing the Tally Trash Challenge poster and sharing it wherever you can! Just make sure the poster is secured and properly disposed of after the Challenge.
Support
To incentivize participation, we are requesting in-kind donations of gift cards, products, or services to award participants. This is a great way for your business to receive community exposure while also supporting a great initiative. If you want to take it one step further, businesses can support the Tally Trash Challenge through a sponsorship. Learn more here.
If you want to get supplies to aid in your trash-cleaning efforts, Sustainable Tallahassee is a member of the Garbo Grabber #GGEvolution Initiative. Anyone who uses Sustainable Tallahassee’s code when making a purchase will receive a discount and a portion of the sale will be donated to Sustainable Tallahassee. A win-win!
Use code SUSTAINABLETALLAHASSEE
Impacts of Litter
- Plastics break down into microplastics which are introduced into our soil, water, and eventually food.
- Litter on the road attracts rodents and scavengers, leading to birds of prey getting injured or killed on the road.
- Litter can release harmful toxins and chemicals that leach into our waterways.
- Litter has a disproportionate impact on south Tallahassee communities that are downstream of our watershed.