Move over, Teen Wolf — there's a new lupine sensation on the scene. And this one's taking out the trash.
A man from St. Petersburg, Florida, got so fed up with all of the litter he saw in his neighborhood that he decided to take matters into his own hands. How? Well, he did what you might expect any self-respecting Florida man to do: He donned his best wolf costume and created a new litter-fighting superhero: Trash Wolf.
"Litter … it's out of control," the man behind Trash Wolf wrote in a January Nextdoor post introducing the character. "I have wanted to start something for a long time, but didn't have the nerve to do it."
Trash Wolf has already become something of a local hero, eliciting dozens of comments on Nextdoor and attracting more than 1,500 followers on his Instagram account.
"I LOVE this!" one Nextdoor user wrote. "Thank you SO much." Trash Wolf's infectious energy is even inspiring others to join him in his crusade. "Thanks for everything you are doing," wrote another commenter. "If I see you I'll join you."
Litter isn't just a problem in Trash Wolf's neighborhood, but across the country. In 2021, the nonprofit Keep America Beautiful released the largest litter study in U.S. history, in which 90% of people surveyed said they thought litter was a problem in their state. The group estimates that, though roadway litter is down 54% since 2009, there are still some 50 billion pieces on the ground in America.
Clearly, more awareness, advocacy, and action are necessary to solve the problem of litter in the United States. But, until then, one man will be on the hunt.
"Most of the time," Trash Wolf says, "you'll see me in my orange Trash Wolf shirt."
"But on occasion, like a full moon, you'll see Trash Wolf prowling the streets."
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