垃圾清理队在校园后进行清理

As the group of students equipped with trash pickers made their way past Cobb Hall and rounded the nearby tennis courts, 他们听到一阵支持的喊声.

“哦吼! 一名网球运动员喊道.

什么是垃圾处理部队? 他们为什么要大张旗鼓?

垃圾的力量 is a group of Carolina students who use their own time to beautify the campus through trash pickups, usually held once or twice a month and typically attracting 30 to 40 students.

这样做的时候, 他们一定要玩得开心, socialize and embrace a relaxed atmosphere that’s welcoming to anyone who wants to join — all while cleaning up the place they call home.

The club started informally during the spring 2022 semester as a creative way for Andrew Mattson and his two fellow co-founders to get a little extra help in a challenging physics class.

教授说。, 就像, ‘You can get extra credit on your test if you do some sort of volunteering,’”马特森说, 现在大四了. “这门课真的很难.”

Mattson and his friends thought it would be easier and more enjoyable to create a group of their own and volunteer in a way that wouldn’t require them to leave campus.

就这样开始了 垃圾的力量, complete with the snarky nickname and club shirts with a distinctive logo — both inspired by the U.S. 空间力量.

“We just went out and picked up trash, and we were, 就像, ‘Oh, that was fun. We were just messing around while we were doing it,” said Mattson.

Finn Rehal (left) and Stephen Chesser (right) participate in 垃圾的力量’s early April pickup. (约翰尼·安德鲁斯/博彩平台)

瞎胡闹，当然. 但原力是名副其实的. 在四月的活动之后, the group has now picked up over 540 pounds of waste in two years, approaching its goal of 600 pounds by the end of the school year.

自从开始, the group has been in regular communication with UNC Facilities Services to coordinate and make sure everyone’s efforts are worthwhile.

马特森说:“我们不想触怒任何人.

结果是, 垃圾的力量 tries to cover areas not as commonly frequented by Facilities Services 就像 wooded areas and alleys. The group also makes sure to hit the areas surrounding Kenan Stadium and the Dean E. Smith Center during football and basketball season, respectively.

两年, club regular Meredith Pritchard is amazed at how the group evolved from class project to a full-fledged club that embraces cross-campus collaboration.

“这只是。, 就像, 一开始只有五六个人,普理查德说, who manages 垃圾的力量’s social media (including this comical, 夸张的 TikTok). “It’s nice that there are more people, and getting to meet with more organizations helps.”

四月初的时候, 垃圾的力量 looked through campus recycling bins to ensure that nonrecyclable items are not present. (约翰尼·安德鲁斯/博彩平台)

垃圾的力量 varied its routine in April by taking part in the student-led 绿色的游戏, a competition sponsored by Carolina’s Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling. Contestants removed contaminants from compost and recycling bins at residence halls across campus.

“我现在可能会参加更多的活动，”他说 绿色的游戏 实习生卡莉·巴雷洛.

“垃圾力量”举办“跟在地球后面活动将于4月22日下午5:30-7点举行.m. The event includes a screening of National Geographic’s “Plastic 101” and is followed by a trash pickup.

The recognition that 垃圾的力量 receives around campus shows how the group’s reputation has grown since its start.

“Other students would give us looks 就像, ‘Why do you have to do community service?’”马特森笑着说. “Recently, there have been a lot more people going, ‘Oh, wait — is this 垃圾的力量?“而且是我们不认识的人. 他们只知道俱乐部.”