A responsible resident in Allentown, Pennsylvania, shared photo evidence of the difference one person can make in their town.
The Redditor posted their pictures on r/DeTrashed, a subreddit with the motto, "Saving the only planet we'll ever have!" Members clear up litter and update the community on how many bags of trash they find each day.
According to this Redditor, they had a six-bag day thanks to the recent weather. "After some much-needed rain, drains were loaded," they said. "Loves me some drain cleaning!"
Their "before" pictures showed how the water had carried piles of trash to every storm grate and patch of bare ground around. The water was gone by the time the photos were taken, but the plastic cups, water bottles, newspapers, cans, and food containers remained.
At least, they did until the original poster showed up. The "after" photos were a total 180 from before, with clean gutters, grates, and grass — not a scrap of paper or plastic in sight.
Cleaning up litter from the environment is a small but impactful way to make any neighborhood more beautiful and welcoming. Studies show cleaning up can even discourage people from littering in the future, while in a dirty environment, they won't hesitate to leave trash behind.
Removing litter can also help limit the number of mosquitoes in the area and reduce the spread of toxins from materials like cigarette butts. That improvement benefits both people and wildlife.
"Thank you!" said one commenter when they saw the images. "Allentown needs all the help it can get!"
"It does," the original poster replied. "Every day of the week, frankly." They also thanked the grateful commenter for a Reddit award the user had given them.
"So wholesome!" said another commenter. "Keep up the great work! You make a big difference."
"Plan on heading out again tomorrow," the original poster confirmed. "Plenty more to collect."
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