The hottest clubs in NYC these days are volunteer trash pickup groups

New York City’s notoriously filthy streets are bringing people together.

A growing number of volunteer groups that collect litter on sidewalks have popped up across the five boroughs in recent years. They’re made up of people looking to get a buzz off cleaning up the city — and meeting new friends in the process.

Rachael Cain, who formed a club called the Pick-up Pigeons in 2023, leads groups of litter-pickers to neighborhoods across the city. She said members pride themselves on having taken trash trips to all five boroughs, and get excited by especially dirty blocks.