This woman sees value in the rubbish of New York City and is using her platform to combat our over consumption of waste.

In the middle of the 2010s, Anna Sacks was working at an investment bank in New York City, and she was living the life—just not the one she wanted.

Yes, she was content. But she desired to carry out an activity that gave her a sense of significance and deeper fulfillment.

Some persons in search of meaning may study self-help books, engage in some recycling or upcycling, or give a few hours a week to volunteering.

Sacks relocated to Connecticut for three months in order to take part in Adamah, a Jewish farming program that emphasizes ecological living and food production.

She came back to New York with a new mission and a variety of new abilities to help her realize her aspirations.

One of the things about Adamah, which is Hebrew for ‘Earth,’ that really stuck with her was how little garbage they generated and how they managed the waste they did have, mostly by composting.

I then asked myself, ‘Why aren’t we doing it here?’ I was astounded by how many trash bags were stacked up as I walked around my neighborhood. What exactly is in all those bags and recycling bins on the curbs, I started to wonder.

She started a goal that would make her one of the most well-known climate change advocates on social media today rather than becoming trapped in a never-ending cycle of climate dread.

Examining the garbage

The Adamah program made Sacks aware of the problems that consumer culture is causing at the local, state, and international levels as well as the need for answers.

She enrolled in a master composting course and began working for a food rescue program in 2016 as a result.

In 2017, she discovered her calling. She started what she refers to as ‘trash walking’ to sate her curiosity as well as to assist her in getting food and home necessities.

Sacks, 31, searches through trash while out and about in her area for usable goods. Her trash walks soon included commercial dumpsters in addition to household garbage.

She unexpectedly came into a wide variety of pretty cool things, including clothing, designer accessories, dinnerware, and food, which she shares on Instagram and TikTok.

Sacks soon rose to fame as The Trash Walker thanks to her informative, humorous, and unexpected videos that highlight the issues with consumerism and provide advice on how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.

Overproduction, which results in overconsumption and a tremendous quantity of waste, is the fundamental problem, according to the author.

Consider your cluttered closet for a moment. Fast fashion makes it simple to get the newest styles at low prices, yet even after being sold or donated, these garments may wind up in the trash.

Sacks made this argument in a TikTok video that showed a mound of rubbish from secondhand stores. The walkway is crowded with black trash bags holding clothing that include the unsold merchandise from the business.

Sacks’ image is placed atop huge bags leaking garments, and she adds, ‘It was incredibly upsetting to see, but also not surprising.’ As a civilization, ‘We create too much clothing. Less production is necessary.’