ZeroTrash shows how to create a social media grassroots movement

I had an opportunity to connect with Chip McDermott, founder of ZeroTrash who I originally met at the Inbound Marketing Summit in San Francisco. I haver become fascinated with the online grassroots movement Chip started that's gathering momentum and is now instrumental in ridding the streets and beaches of Laguna Beach, CA of trash.

Chip started ZeroTrash Laguna as a nonprofit organization in November 2007 with the support of XS Energy Drinks, Hobie Sports & Thalia Surf Shop. Though population and tourism had exploded, the city had not kept up in providing a sufficient infrastructure for public trash and recycling.

Social media to influence people

"The spark of the idea was that trash was becoming commonplace on the streets and the sidewalks of Laguna Beach," Chip says. "We started with a Facebook fan page for ZeroTrash Laguna that now has hundreds of members."

People use the Facebook page to organize events and connect local storeowners and residents. Before and after photos of trash on the streets incite people to action.

"We met with store owners to get our first Saturday movement going," Chip says. "We meet at a couple of stores and got volunteers to walk the city and pick up trash on the first Saturday of each month."

The storeowners love it because they people support local stores and the shopping areas remain clean. Chip has tapped storeowners as sponsors who fund the purchase of supplies and tools like trash pickers, t-shirts, trash bags, and gloves.

Chip has also started a ZeroTrash blog and is on Twitter as @ZeroTrash. The social media sites serve to keep people updated. For example, on the first Saturday of May, 2009, the Laguna Beach community helped to remove another 590 lbs. of trash and 375 lbs. of recyclables from the streets.

He has high hopes for the organization and ambitions to spread the movement beyond Laguna Beach.

"We want people to take individual ownership of each new local ZeroTrash community," he says. "How can they get people with a passion to take control and start in their own communities? The obvious answer is to use social media to influence people."

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are a great place to start (or extend) a movement. If you work at a nonprofit, are you tapping these resources to reach your supporters?

Comments

[chip mcdermott]

Thanks David. The notoriety is greatly appreciated. With the unparalleled 2.0 support of Eric Chevalier, my ZT partner, the movement has been taken to a new level in Laguna Beach and beyond.
If anyone wants to share opinions, throw out some advice, get involved or simply start to 'take back' their STREETS from ubiquitous trash,
contact us: chip@zerotrash.org; eric@zerotrash.org
ZeroTrashLaguna.org (new national website by July)
thanks, and if you see trash in your travels: Pick It Up!

[Amelia Vargo]

This is an excellent example of how Social Media can help create a buzz around something. I wish there was something like that in the UK - I go to my local park and end up picking up all the rubbish (trash) by myself. It really annoys me that people can't just pick up after themselves I just don't understand it.

[Tina Haisman]

David, Thank you for sharing this. What a great example for how non-profit organizations can use Facebook! I shared it with my non-profit beach client -- The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (www.asbpa.org) -- they loved the example!

[Zara Brunner]

With some creativity and passion, it just shows you the power social media tools can behold! Thanks for the post. I haven't been to Laguna in years but am looking forward to visiting one of my favorite places and knowing how it's being kept clean.

[lots in Costa Rica]

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