#487 Trash Yoga

It’s been a few weeks since my first trash pick-up day.  During that time I bought more trash bags (it’s an essential item, yes?) and have been out two more times.  My methodology is to pace myself and carve out one day a week to the process (one full bag = approx. one hour).  There is so much yet to pick up.  It seems insurmountable.  Yet I am making a dent each time.  Progress!  And I don’t want it to be a “chore.”  I want to enjoy it as much as possible, while I’m doing it and afterward when I walk or drive by. 

As I mentioned earlier, I adjusted my process and it is working well.  I drive to a close-by street so I don’t have far to carry the full 33 gallon bag.  I bring a two-gallon bucket and a padded garden kneeler, and my garden gloves.  I am close to the street at times so do not wear any earbuds to listen to music.  As I pick up trash, I put it into the bucket, dumping any liquids out onto the grass.  When the bucket is full, I straighten up and walk to the large bag and dump it in.  I’ve found this helpful as a way to stretch and not be hunched over the entire time.  Occasionally I will put one knee on the garden kneeler and quicken my pace using two hands.  It’s a nice little system. 

The area where I have been working has about 10 feet of grassy area next to the road that extends to a vast wooded area with brush.  That’s where things get tricky, and where the “trash yoga” comes into play.  I discovered the hard way that some of the brush plants have thorns.  My attire consists of leggings and a long-sleeve shirt and sometimes a jacket.  It’s occasionally chilly so that’s the reason for the leggings, although they helped protect from the prickly plants.  The trash particles are embedded in the ground and the brush.  As you can imagine, I must contort myself into all kinds of positions to not only grab the trash, but avoid the thorns and not poke out my eyes (my glasses help with that too). 

One of my main thoughts on my first outing was to bend over in a manner so as my behind was not facing the street.  I’m wearing leggings after all.  And I’m not doing this to gain catcalls.  Although I did receive one honk.  I’d like to believe they were expressing their appreciation of me cleaning up the area and not of my ass. 

As I repetitively stretched into my crazy positions I thought, “Wow!  This is like yoga.  Trash yoga!”  Could I have originated a new term?  I Googled it and found an Instagram site (@trashyogasf) with photos of people in yoga poses next to actual trash items on the street (mattresses, vacuum cleaners, sofa cushions).  It’s pretty funny, but not exactly my trash yoga.  I may be on to something. 

You may think that picking up trash is smelly and unpleasant.  Not necessarily.  I’m happy to report that I have not picked up anything smelly.  Yet.  I did pick up a diaper a couple weeks ago.  No smell.  (Really?!  Someone actually tossed a diaper out of their car window?!)  Most of the items are fast-food related.  Cups, plastic tops and straws, not always together.  Food wrappers.  Beverage bottles (mostly alcoholic).  Plastic grocery bags.  Condiment packets.  And yes, one opened, empty condom packet. 

What do I smell out there?  Wild onions.  For real.  As I trample around reaching for debris, the  light aroma of wild onions wafts by my nose like one of those cartoons where someone is baking a pie and you “see” the smell travel out the window.  It’s quite nice. 

Aside from the pleasant aroma, what I love most about picking up trash is the result.  After three outings I have almost cleaned up one side of the street.  It looks amazing!  I smile as I pass by now.  Not to pat myself on the back, but to simply enjoy the view of what should have always been a natural area clear of rubbish. 

Trash Yoga #2 - Before

Trash Yoga #2 - After

Trash Yoga #3 - Before

Trash Yoga #3 - After

When we are free to roam about as we have in the past, my goal is to support the Adopt-A-Block program of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and get my immediate neighborhood involved.  Hopefully that spirit would spread further out to other neighborhoods.  And if passers-by see how much we care about the cleanliness of our environment, maybe they will think twice before tossing that diaper out the window.