Picking Up America, One Piece of Trash At a Time

When then-University of Maryland student Jeff Chen told his friend Davey Rogner that he wanted to walk across America and pick up trash, Rogner responded the way any good friend would: “You’re crazy, man,” he said.

Eventually though, the offer became too good to refuse. Two months later, Rogner - also a UMd. student - was on board, and Pick Up America was born.

The idea behind the organization is a simple one: walk (and occasionally drive) across the country, pick up trash and spread the message of zero waste, a concept started on the West Coast that has been slowly making its way eastward, said Greg Katski, the group’s public relations manager.

“You’re not just recycling, but you’re composting, you’re not using any plastic – no plastic bags or anything,” Katski said. “That’s basically our mission statement.”

The idea first came to Chen a couple of years ago while working at Yosemite National Park. During a hike to the famed Half Dome, Chen couldn't help but notice the amount of trash that littered the trail. Upon reaching the top, Chen was moved by both the astounding beauty of the surrounding scenery, and the trash that sullied it. On his way back down Chen picked up every piece of trash he encountered. By the time he was done, he was inspired: why not do the same thing, everywhere?

Chen and Rogner both graduated from UMd. in 2009, and, after a bit of planning, a lot of fundraising and the addition of a few more staff, hit the road.

In total, the Pick Up America team (called Pick Up Artists) have amassed more than 36 tons of trash since they started collecting it on Assateague Island, Md. last March. Since then, they've picked up trash four days a week for multiple hours each day, and have worked their way to Ripley, Ohio. For transportation, they're currently driving a blue and green camper van, but are hoping to swap it for something that runs on waste vegetable oil instead.

Rogner said that much of Pick Up America has been operated by a sort of "learning-by-doing" approach, and that he and the team have indeed learned a lot. By November, Rogner said the crew hopes to have reached Boulder, Colo.

"We just had to throw ourselves into it the first year," he said. "And I think we know how we'll be able to do it even better this year."

Want to help Pick Up America? The organization is working with various UMd. groups to sponsor a clean-up on Feb. 27 at the Northwest Branch of the Anacostia River. Volunteers will meet at the West Hyattsville Metro station at 11:30 a.m., and supplies will be provided. 

Those interested in implementing the Pick Up America mission in their own communities are invited to attend the Community Clean Water Summit on Feb. 26 at the Silver Spring Civic Building, where Davey Rogner will be giving a presentation on what it means to become a "pick up artist."

For more information on either event, email Greg Katski at gmk0825@gmail.com. You can also follow Pick Up America on Facebook and Twitter.