The Trash Punx

In 2023, we embarked on a mission to assist the vibrant community of Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya in cleaning up their town. As many of you followed our journey, you witnessed the incredible transformation that began with your generous support. In just a few short days, we managed to collect 31,500 pounds of trash with the help of 250 local participants, and install 21 permanent trash bins. This weekend our Team heads 10,000 miles from San Jose, CA to Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya to open up our first ever "Upcycling Center" in partnership with Sabore's Well and KU Leuven University. This center will do so much more than recycle plastic: it will create jobs, foster community stewardship, protect the environment, save animals, and prevent disease. Most importantly, it will serve as a model for future initiatives in other communities. This isn’t just about recycling. It’s about creating lasting change: a healthier environment, stronger communities, and a ripple effect of positive impact for generations to come. Thank you for standing with us as we work towards a cleaner, more sustainable world. Please follow us on our journey via our social media channels @TheTrashPunx

This week, we launched ‘Spread the Love: Volunteering Week’ at ASML Silicon Valley! ?? We planned five different volunteer events with our partners, giving employees the opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a meaningful way. We kicked off the week with a painting event with the Foundation for Hospital Art on Monday, followed by a wonderful afternoon with the kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley on Tuesday. On Wednesday we have a food sorting shift at Second Harvest of Silicon Valley and today, we’ll wrap up with a Bare Roots event with Our City Forest. Our e-waste collection event with The Trash Punx was rescheduled for the coming weeks due to the rain, but we’re looking forward to it! Thank you to everyone who participated and donated their time and care to this volunteer week! Together, we made this Valentine’s season sweeter for those around us. #lifeatasml

???? Cleaning Up for a Better Tomorrow! ???? Yesterday, I had the opportunity to participate with members of boys team charity, Inc. (btc), including my son Jackson, along with The Trash Punx, joined forces to clean up Guadalupe Creek along Almaden Expressway and Capitol Expressway! It was an incredible day of community action, making a real difference in keeping our city clean and green. A special shoutout to Pam Foley, Vice Mayor of San Jose, for supporting local initiatives. We’re also proud to see Jackson Peixoto, a btc member, stepping up to help lead the charge for a cleaner environment! This is what teamwork and civic engagement look like! Let’s keep the momentum going—every small effort adds up to a big impact. ???? #BTC #TrashPunx #SanJose #CommunityCleanup #GuadalupeCreek #PamFoley #KPACommercial #KevinPeixoto #JacksonPeixoto #Sustainability #MakeADifference

The Trash Punx had a great time partnering up with San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan as 300 volunteers beautified our City! #TheTrashPunx

Thank you to Bellarmine College Preparatory for having The Trash Punx participate in their Climate and Environmental Justice Summit! The future is bright seeing these young leaders take initiative to create good for the environment. #TheTrashPunx

2024 was an epic year for The Trash Punx! Thank you to all the volunteers and donors that served our community and environment this year! Here's a few highlights: Over 1-million lbs. of trash has been collected since we started in 2017! 2024 Highlights: - 20x Waterway Cleanup Events - 11x Neighborhood Cleanup Events - 11x eWaste Recycling Events - 34x Outreach Events - 5x Free Market Events - 3,414 Total Audience Reached via Outreach Presentations - 81x Total Events - 1,144 Volunteers Engaged - 3,525 Volunteer Hours - 536,286 lbs. of Trash Collected in 2024 Interested in supporting our mission and vision of seeing a cleaner World? Consider donating by visiting: https://lnkd.in/dC2Kxp5G #TheTrashPunx https://lnkd.in/gxFbEwgd

On October 30th, the Environmental Resource Center had the privilege of hosting The Trash Punx as a guest speaker. This organization is dedicated to fostering sustainable waste management practices both locally and globally. During their visit, Trash Punx shared inspiring stories about their impactful initiatives. Locally, they have organized several community clean-ups in San Jose and hosted electronic waste recycling drives. Additionally, they have contributed to free market events, promoting sustainable consumption and reducing waste. ?? On an international scale, Trash Punx has made strides in Kenya by implementing effective waste management solutions for the local village community. Their projects have helped to address critical environmental challenges and improve the quality of life for local communities. Trash Punx is making a positive difference in the world and their presentation at the ERC pushed our students to think about our responsibilities as global citizens and the importance of environmental stewardship. ?? Huge thank you to Justin Imamura and Vanessa Rogier for the visit and the wonderful presentation. We look forward to working with you again! ??

We have?reached a significant milestone: the collection of over 1 million pounds of trash from local communities, waterways, and global locations since its founding in 2017. With an astounding 210 events and over 20,000 volunteer hours,?The Trash Punx's reach, and impact continue to grow, inspiring communities to step up for environmental change.? This accomplishment is the result of unwavering community support and the dedication of more than 5,600 volunteers. From neighborhood clean-ups to waterways, e-waste events, and outreach programs,?The Trash Punx?have become a beacon of environmental action. In 2024 alone, they collected over 500,000 pounds of trash across 70 events, including the support of local high schools like Pioneer High School Beach Club and their global partner,?Sabore’s Well, with the ‘Project PickUp’ program in Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya. Justin Imamura, Founder of?The Trash Punx, shared his thoughts on this milestone, “Reaching the 1-million-pound mark is both inspiring and heartbreaking. It shows the depth of our local and global community commitment, but it also highlights just how serious the waste problem is. We couldn’t have done this without our incredible volunteers who’ve dedicated their time and energy to making our world cleaner.”? Looking forward,?The Trash Punx are set to deepen their impact in 2025. With plans to expand their Local Stewardship Program to involve more partners,?The Trash Punx?aim to grow their network of high school and community allies. Additionally, they are building an 'Upcycling Center for Plastics' in Ewaso Ngiro, Kenya—a first-of-its-kind project in an area with no waste management system, designed to serve as a model for sustainable practices across the region.? The organization is also focused on expanding their Free Market events, where community members can exchange goods at no cost. These markets encourage the reuse of items that might otherwise end up in landfills, supporting both waste reduction and community needs.? “We’re not just about picking up trash,” added Imamura. “This achievement represents a collective movement, one that empowers communities to tackle environmental issues head-on and inspires the next generation to carry it forward. From San Jose to Kenya, every pound we’ve collected is a testament to the power of teamwork."

This past week we teamed up with ASML and Councilmember David Cohen to conduct a cleanup along the Penitencia Creek Trail in San Jose, CA. Volunteers cleaned up 2,150 lbs. trash that will no longer enter the waterways! #TheTrashPunx https://lnkd.in/eXAbNfVD

We love building community with all! Thanks for a record breaking event with tons of trash collected and not entering the local waterways. #TheTrashPunx