For thousands of years, the waste discarded by our ancestors was of organic origin, fitting well within the decomposition cycles of Nature, the primordial recycler herself. Well, not anymore! Most synthetic materials mass-produced since the Industrial Age took off will survive and leak toxins into the environment long past the next millennium. Being an archeologist centuries from now will be rather confusing due to myriads of useless findings; no glamour, no treasures – just mess. However, today, we can still have a positive impact on the future if we denormalize trash!

“Raygun”

While the world watched, stunned, Raygun’s routine at the Paris Olympics 2024, I must have been one of the few whose eyes lit up, as I got inspired. I knew right away she had opened the door for what would hopefully become the latest contemporary Olympic sport, tailored for almost anyone on Earth – and that is…  trash cleanups!

Many berated her, but I appreciated Raygun as the last straw, which pushed me to start the Trash-Olympics Petition three months later. (Not quite the last one after all – unless more decide to stop accepting plastic straws with their drinks.)

In her, I saw everyone – myself, you, who are reading this, and the rest. Perhaps not all of us could pull off her breakdancing stunts, as critics implied in the aftermath of her performance, but we’re all capable of picking up trash!

(Someone with a sense of humor surprised me with this collage. It is not meant to be offensive – except for the planet. As for the rest of us, it could be funny at first glance, then sad, and finally… it should inspire cleanups.)

“The useful Olympic Sport we’re missing” 

This activity is not popular yet, despite our lives being dominated by non-recyclable waste (three pounds per person each day in the US) – enough so that, for instance, the most expensive real estate slice on Earth – Manhattan Island – is built on landfills! Unlike the ancient Egyptians who erected pyramids, or the ancient Chinese known for the Great Wall, we risk going down in history as the generation who didn’t alleviate the trash problem, but lived with it (or slept on it, if you ever stayed overnight in Manhattan) – and the ‘construction’ associated with us will be The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

This is another famous island, composed of floating litter particles, an ever-growing, gigantic soup straight out of nightmares, currently three times larger than France, or twice the size of Texas! Its creation is explained by the ‘tragedy of the commons.’ The concept states that society and the planet suffer when the cumulative effects of small detrimental actions, done by many in order to make their lives a little easier, add up (such as factories dumping refuse in rivers, some individuals choosing the immediate ‘relief’ of littering rather than searching for a trash can, or the widespread usage of avoidable disposable items). And so, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch became a collective monument dedicated to litter-acceptance.

Luckily, the reverse works, too. And coming together with many small positive actions initiates healing! The actions suggested today are simple: do a cleanup and sign the Trash-Olympics petition.

Both will make cleanups increasingly popular, replacing trash-acceptance with a new mentality, creativity, and eco-innovations. Finally, we’ll be remembered as the ones who inspired each other and the next generation to solve the trash problem!

“Rishi Rajpopat”

Exposing youth, even briefly, to something as mundane as picking up trash, or simply talking about it, will inspire children to become the problem-solvers of tomorrow that Earth needs. The following true story serves as a powerful example. For 2,500 years, the knowledge of how to form new words in Sanskrit – the sacred language of Hinduism – had been lost. Despite staying alive, Sanskrit was limping – much like Earth today, and like our cleanup efforts.

Many scholars dedicated lifetimes of study to solving the mystery – all unsuccessfully – until 2022, when 28-year-old Rishi cracked the grammar code! The revolutionary breakthrough happened only because someone had inspired him when he was a kid to pursue this path.

This isn’t to say that only scientists are valuable – not at all. Children turning into adults who strongly avoid disposable items make a huge difference, since mindful eco-lifestyles are solving the trash problem – along with new inventions, new products, and the rise in popularity of cleanups! All these have in common ‘flexing’ the green muscle memory during childhood – meaning that the right examples, eco-education, and repetition inculcate in youth the subconscious tendency to implement eco-progress throughout their lives! Thus, the take-home message is that just like Rishi was inspired by something simple (e.g. unanswered grammar ambiguity), an isolated cleanup could inspire one kid, while a new Olympic sport will inspire a whole generation.

Furthermore, whoever inspired Rishi didn’t imagine he’d be the one to unlock the 2,500-year-old puzzle! Indeed, our smallest actions can have a powerful impact, often unbeknownst to us, as we might not even be alive to catch the long-term result, just like…

“The person who planted a forest”

Another modern parable that inspired me is the story of the contemporary people who, through decades of work, fueled by passion and love, relentlessly planted forests by themselves! One is in Turkey, some are in India, one is in Brazil, others are in China – and there are more. People planting forests do not expect to rest under the thick shade of those trees, but they keep going.

“2,500 years later – another full circle, with our help!”

The Marathon, which, along with the Olympics, is an inheritance from Greek antiquity, comes with the legend that in 490 B.C. a Greek soldier ran 25 miles to deliver the news of a won battle. Thus, there was a very practical reason behind that first race. 2,500 years later, let’s bring back practicality with just one new sport, aligned with the present. Surely, if enough of us  sign the Trash-Olympics petition, we’ll all make good history happen – just like Rishi!

“The trash in the oceans starts on all of our streets…”

… There is no question about that. Unless a mermaid went shopping, accepted a single-use plastic bag at checkout, and then, 12 minutes later (a.k.a. the average lifespan of such a bag), dumped it empty inside the Mariana Trench – the deepest point on Earth – plunging more than 36,000 feet under the surface of the ocean! There, the bag will spend centuries disintegrating. In the process, parts of it will gradually make it back to the surface, when microplastics infiltrate our drinking water and crops via contaminated rain, and also as microplastics ingested via ‘healthy’ seafood meals.

Yet, sometimes, littered bags don’t make it to the bottom of a lake, river, ocean, or sea. Instead, they make it to the bottom of a camel’s stomach. Sadly, malnourished camels and elephants suffer painful deaths caused by thousands of plastic bags slowly filling their insides. Littered baby wipes are also mistaken for food, killing hungry bears.  Plastic cups get stuck in the throat of herons. Balloons, toothbrushes, vapes, and lighters decimate albatrosses, while Q-tips may harm delicate seahorses. Hermit crabs, birds and squirrels build homes out of rubbish…

These few examples from around the globe confirm what we know – trash is a global emergency. Cleanups are one accessible remedy that most of us could do or promote – they tidy up the planet and keep this hot topic high on the priority list. Trash cleanups exist in response to a global crisis and deserve to be equally popular to their trigger – not nerdy or niche – at least until we fix it. They are the useful Olympic sport humanity is missing.

Meanwhile, we’re still missing the mermaids; no one has seen them. They are alive in certain books, cartoons, and movies only – so let’s return to children.

“You like cherry soda?! I like cherry soda! Let’s be best friends!”

Years before Rishi, Raygun, and the ‘Forest People’ inspired me, I was mesmerized by the truth in this Seinfeld line. It reminded me that while our purpose is to teach them certain things (and to inspire them), kids are the best people to remind us, in return, of crucial pieces of wisdom we forgot.

The significance of this quote is obvious to children, yet lost for adults – similar to the Sanskrit grammar code. And it is lost for us not because we don’t know it, but because we don’t live by it. It translates to, “What we have in common matters more” – and we for sure have Earth in common.

“The Spiritual Leader”

I was already asking myself, “How come trash cleanups are not an established sport yet?” when sometime in 2021, I crossed paths with a remarkable Indian man who inspired me. He was introduced as “the man who made June 21^st International Yoga Day.”

He was praised as a unique person – but he wasn’t that special to me. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t mean to minimize his accomplishment! What I mean is to maximize yours and mine! With just one signature each in favor of the Trash-Olympics, we could all be as unique as him! Together, we could be “the ones who made trash cleanup an Olympic sport!”

“Everything we see today was just a dream in the past” 

Our ancestors cherished the planet and even sacrificed their favorite family members to gods representing Nature! Thank the Universe, after thousands of years, the nightmare of human offerings is over, and we’re safe! Today, sacrificing a bit of our time and energy by doing cleanups, or just supporting them, will suffice.

Does global popularity for cleanups sound like a delusion still? At least to some, yes; yet, think about it – the device you’re reading this on would have been perceived as the dream of a lunatic not long back.

The article linked above about the man who planted a forest in Brazil starts this way: “When Antonio… bought a patch of land… and wanted to use it to plant a forest, people called him crazy.” And Guru Dileepji promoted the concept of International Yoga Day since at least 1993, before his vision came true in 2014. Were there any who considered their aspirations ridiculous along the way? Probably yes. Did they care? No. Did they give up? No. So… in case you agree trash cleanups should be a mainstream sport, regardless of what others say…

“…let’s make it happen!”

Some may argue – “Why would I pick up trash? Let the Sanitation Departments do it!” Well, they serve only our domestic needs, the public property, and the urban roads. For instance, N.Y.C. has over 8 million residents, while DSNY relies on 8,000 people in uniforms, who work hard to keep 6,300 miles of streets clean. They can’t physically pick up all the garbage, and there’s more to Earth than just cities – one 2020 study showed 50 billion pieces of waste were scattered only in the US, or 152 items per US resident. And then, 90 percent of the people surveyed believed litter is a problem in their state!

Therefore, the invitation is extended to all who admit trash is a global issue – may they be 90 percent of a village, a city, a state, a country, or of the whole planet. If you’re part of the 90 percent, please, let’s make eco-progress happen!

“The only sport where everybody wins”

In 2023, Japan hosted the first Trash Cleanup World Cup. Twenty-one countries participated, and one took home the most sought-after prize. But as an Olympic Sport, all 200 national teams win, and so will all of us! Therefore, if you are part of the 90 percent who despise litter, make your opinion matter – when you sign the online petition you alert the International Olympic Committee that Earth is ready for the only compassionate, non-competitive sport ever!

Furthermore, when you share the petition and/or train for the Trash Pickup Olympics by doing a cleanup (big or small, alone or with others) you become an inspirator – as impactful as the ones mentioned here, and maybe some more!

To the ones excited to become – or who already are – #TrashAthletes and cleanup inspirators, EARTH thanks you! Everyone is an inspirator by the way, Internet-famous or not! To redeem your innate status, join the #TrashMob and worldwide cleanup in any way possible – do a cleanup, sign the Trash-Olympics petition, or both! 

 Train for the Trash-Olympics 

Start as soon as possible, so by the time this becomes an official sport, you’ll be ready to join a National Team. Regardless of whether you make it to the Trash-Olympics in person, training for it is equally valuable all year round! The power of the Trash Olympics is not once every four years, but every day, through each cleanup! Next are a few training suggestions:

1. Wear durable work gloves, protective glasses, and a mask if there is dust. Stay hydrated, and do not engage with litterbugs, or conflicts may arise. 
2. Pull the weeds out by the root (the best approach to prevent rapid regrowth) or trim them. It will be much easier to remove the trash afterward, and people will litter less from there on, once the area looks neat. (Be aware of glass shards or other sharp objects hiding in tall grass. Trim the vegetation first, then remove the leafy residues using a rake. Pulling out the roots comes after you get a clear view of the shortened stems and their immediate surroundings.)
3. Don’t hesitate to go outside alone whenever you feel like stretching, when you’re bored, or when you need a break from your phone. Doing a quick solo cleanup, or caring for one tree bed, is comparable to jogging or going to the gym by yourself. Plus, people will eventually stop by to say hello!
4. Do it with acquaintances, or join a cleanup group once in a while, but don’t fully depend on others, as your schedules might not match.
5. Organize your Birthday Cleanup and suggest it to others. We all have 12 monthly birthdays every year! It does not have to be on the exact monthly date. Invite people from different circles (support groups, work, church, school, neighbors, friends, etc.). Want to surprise someone? Gather a ‘crew’ and clean a littered spot that bothers them.
6. If you do a cleanup use the daily Trash Mob hashtag on any social media platform. A Trash Mob is like a flash mob, when people in different zip codes or parts of the world replace dancing with synchronized cleanups. The exact timing is not important, nor is knowing each other in person. What’s important is that you’ll connect on an emotional level with like-minded individuals, with the aid of the Internet. The Trash Mob hashtag of the day will facilitate that connection. Often times, when we do cleanups, we feel isolated and overwhelmed. But once more people get in the habit of using this hashtag and checking it, they’ll be surprised to notice that others have been doing the same exact thing, on the same day. Eventually, everyone will feel less lonely and encouraged to keep going! Furthermore, since the power of the Trash Olympics is not every four years, but every day, these hashtags will help gauge not only our actions, but also our shared desire of living on a clean planet. Priceless bonus: they’ll inform the Olympic Committee that we are ready for the ‘real deal’ at the L.A. Olympics and Paralympic Games, in 2028!
7. This is the daily Trash Mob hashtag formula: #TrashMob4LetterYear3LetterMonthInternationalAbbreviation2DigitDay For instance, #TrashMob2026Jan01 marks the January first, 2026, cleanups – big or small, shorter or longer, done by groups or individuals. It is expected that the number will be low at the beginning, but with everyone’s help it will grow. These cleanups are already happening, meaning that the feeling of unity we are looking for is out there, yet dissipated in the air. The hashtags will make it apparent! Here is the abbreviation list for each month: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.
8. Do you have friends in other cities, villages or countries? Initiate a #TrashMob , or use social media to invite others, even if you don’t know them. Do you go to college? If so, does you your school have a sister college? You could reach out to their environmental club or perhaps look for a school or a church in a sister city. And if you ever join a cleanup group, please remind the participants about the daily hash tag. Sadly, the litter will accumulate, covering your traces, but the trash mob hash tag will stay. Like a visible message in a bottle, it will signal that you were there, and that you have been acting in accordance with this attainable dream of bringing cleanups front and center.
   
9. Did you fly to your vacation destination? Taking an airplane leaves quite a footprint, even in economy class. To compensate, consider doing a cleanup! (Same if you were in a car; why not? Earth is Earth, love is love, and you’ll burn some calories!) Wait, did you travel to run a marathon, cheer on a team, attend a concert, a festival, or compete in any other sport? That’s okay! But please, before you forget, give back to Earth (while you’re there, or when you return home).
10. Engage young people and inspire them – click here to read about youth creating the rules for the Trash-Olympics.
11. If you got this far and you haven’t done it yet, please sign the Trash Olympics petition. It only takes 15 seconds! Then share it. Don’t let the good information stop with you!
12. If you are active on social media, use hashtags to make cleanups popular, to inspire others, and to share good stories. Such as
13. #TrashAthlete  #TrashAthletes #TrashMob #TrashMob4LetterYear3LetterMonthInternationalAbbreviation2DigitDay e.g. #TrashMob2026Jun06  #TrashOlympics  #TrashOlympicsPetiton  #Inspirator #CleanupInspirator  #BirthdayCleanup  #LetsMakeItHappen

THX for reading this text, written as an answer to three questions: (1) How did I come up with the Trash-Olympics idea? (2) What is the significance? (3) Who will it influence?