Erin Fein was inspired to take action. Using social media, she began searching for volunteers, and that's how the Echo Park Trash Club was born.
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"Before every event I always have a little anxiety, sort of wondering like 'Is anybody gonna come?' And what I tell myself is, 'Well, you've got the supplies if it's just you, you can just pick up garbage by yourself.' But that's never happened," said Fein, founder of Echo Park Trash Club.
The group usually meets three times a month with 10 to 25 people gathering to clean up a predetermined site in the community.
An early problem for the group was trash disposal. Picking it up is only the first step. Initially volunteers took the trash home in their cars. That's when Fein's calls to the city paid off.
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"She's actually worked with our supervisor to get us out here, and we do the best that we can with that time that we have available," said Damon Howse, an L.A. Sanitation employee
Now, a city sanitation truck joins the efforts, even going so far as to let volunteers help in compacting the garbage.
Fein says, "It is a commitment but it really doesn't take that much time so I think that we can make little groups like this all over the city and at least make a dent in the problem until the city and state find some more creative solutions for how to solve it."