Changemaker
Seth Orme
TL;DR
Seth Orme founded Packing It Out, which cleaned up the Appalachian Trail in 2015, the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016 and roads from Georgia to Seattle in 2017. He and Abby Taylor ride across the country in REI's film Leave It Better.
The idea for Packing It Out came to Seth Orme while he worked as an outdoor guide on Lake Superior and noticed a lot of trash in wild places. In 2015 he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail with Joe Dehnert and Paul Twedt, and the three carried out 1,100 pounds of trash over 2,200 miles. In 2016 he and Paul Twedt walked the Pacific Crest Trail from the border of Mexico to Canada, 2,650 miles, cleaning up 720 pounds.
In 2017 he traded the trail for the open road and rode 4,700 miles across the country with Abby Taylor, the trip documented in Leave It Better.
Packing It Out's stated mission is to inspire a greater sense of environmental stewardship and community by raising awareness for litter conditions along American trails. Orme wants it to be normal, not amazing, to see someone picking up trash because they love the outdoors.
Why OGSP Recommends It
One Good Story Project recommends Seth Orme because he turned noticing trash in wild places into a sustained effort to carry it out. He got the idea for Packing It Out while guiding on Lake Superior. In 2015, he, Joe Dehnert and Paul Twedt removed 1,100 pounds of trash along 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail. The following year, he and Twedt collected another 720 pounds over 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Those long trips left trails cleaner, but his advice gives anyone a place to start: pick up one piece of trash a day. You don’t need to undertake a months-long trek to contribute, and your example may encourage someone else to do the same.
Related Resources
Key Takeaways
- Walked over 5,000 miles cleaning up scenic trails in 2015 and 2016.
- Took Packing It Out onto the open road in 2017 to reach a different cohort of people, not just thru-hikers and backpackers.
- Rode the 2017 trip alongside his friend Abby Taylor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Seth Orme?
Seth Orme is the founder of Packing It Out, a project that cleans up trash along American trails and roads. In 2017 he rode 4,700 miles from Georgia to Seattle with Abby Taylor, a trip documented in REI's film Leave It Better.
How did Packing It Out start?
Seth Orme noticed trash in wild places while working as an outdoor guide on Lake Superior. He had the idea to hike the entire Appalachian Trail and see how much trash he could pick up. That 2015 thru-hike was the beginning of Packing It Out.
How much trash did Packing It Out carry out on the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails?
It carried out 1,100 pounds over 2,200 miles of the Appalachian Trail in 2015, and 720 pounds over 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016.
What does Seth Orme say people can do about litter?
Start with one piece a day, whenever you go to work or for a walk in a park. He says one piece a day won't clean up the entire world, but it might inspire other people to pick up a piece a day too.