When second-year Russian and environmental studies student Allison Desmarais sat down to observe Maxcy Gregg Park for an English assignment, it motivated her to create a campus-wide cleanup movement.
After observing the litter that populated the park, Desmarais said she decided to found Cocky’s Cleanup Crew, a student organization dedicated to eradicating litter on USC’s campus and in Columbia.
“I got the idea from the English class, and I just rolled with it ... It's just catapulted into something really fun and great,” Desmarais said. “I love seeing everyone engaging and getting excited to do something as mundane as picking up trash.”
Desmarais said her passion for the environment is inspired by her parents and credits them with her decision to start Cocky’s Cleanup Crew.
“I realize not many people are as interested as me in this trash issue and helping giving back to our environment,” Desmarais said. “My family has always taught me (that) you just have to put yourself out there. And I think this club is just getting ourselves out there to really just try to help out.”
Cocky’s Cleanup Crew hosted its first trash cleanup of the semester at Maxcy Gregg Park on the morning of Feb. 2. Eighteen students came out to help pick up trash, combing through the grass and climbing into the creek to retrieve debris.
“(Going in the creek) is actually kind of fun,” first-year media arts student Alex Seabrook said. “If I’m going to be up at 10 a.m., I might as well do something exhilarating.”
The goal of the cleanup was to collect three or four bags worth of litter, second-year supply chain and marketing student and Treasurer Emily Hamilton said. She said the cleanup yielded five trash bags and a five-gallon bucket.
The cleanup gained traction after tabling at the Student Organization Fair, where many students who attended first heard about the event. First-year middle level education student D’Niyah Young said Desmarais’ excitement was her reason for attending.
“I decided (to attend) because when we went to the Student Org Fair, (Desmarais) was so energetic, and she just drew us in,” Young said. “We (were) walking by, and you could hear how enthusiastic she was about the event. So that made us want to go.”
Students such as first-year international business and marketing student Taylor Smith said she didn’t realize how much litter was in the park until she attended the cleanup. Taylor Smith was able to pick up many small pieces of trash that she initially didn't notice, she said.
“(I) think that (the cleanup is) going to make the park more beautiful, more enjoyable," Taylor Smith said.
Cocky’s Cleanup Crew organizes monthly trash clean ups, usually in Maxcy Gregg park, though the club has plans to organize events at other locations, second-year biology student and Vice President Anna Smith said.
“We're hoping to expand and maybe work on doing a carpool sign up ... just because a lot of times Maxcy Gregg doesn't have a ton of trash, or (clean the area) walking into Five Points, because Five Points is pretty dirty,” Anna Smith said.
Cocky’s Cleanup Crew has been organizing trash cleanups since February 2024, but many students were new to the Feb. 2 cleanup. Students such as second-year cyber policy and ethics student Christopher Clemons said he would return in the future.
“It feels good to see other people who have the same values as me trying to clean up for the environment,” Clemons said. “It's a good thing to be part of.”
Club executives brought a speaker to play music, and students chatted together as they cleaned up trash from the creek and field.
“It really brings people together to come out here and combat pollution," first-year international business and supply chain student Zach Laglenne said. "And I think it might not make a huge impact, but it can inspire other people to do the same thing."
Many students said that they thought litter was a problem in Columbia.
“It’s definitely an issue in the Columbia area, not as much on campus, because I see a lot of people going around actually picking up trash," Young said. "Around campus, it does tend to look cleaner, but I know once you get farther out near that city the trash is so bad because people just throw stuff out their window. So I really feel like doing this around more places in Columbia would be so beneficial."
First-year neuroscience student Anna Schauer felt that the cleanups positively affect Columbia and allowed students to use their passion for the environment to make an impact on their community.
“I’m passionate about cleaning up because … any impacts that we can do (for) the community, (is) probably for the better," Schauer said. "The less trash we have in our streams, the further our life and ecosystems can continue."
Cocky's Cleanup Crew hosts monthly trash cleanup events, and students can join through the organization's GarnetGate page. More information can be found on its Instagram.