September 26–27, 2026

Join us for a weekend of zero waste fun!

The 6th annual Trash Talk Tour is a weekend of free, family-friendly events that peek behind the curtain of Washtenaw County's zero waste economy.

Stops will be announced soon — check back for the fall route.

See all events

Scavenger Hunt

31 stops around Ann Arbor. Find the QR code at each one and scan it.

See the full hunt

Scavenger Hunt Leaderboard

Who has found the most stops so far.

  1. 1 Luke B. 26 stops
  2. 2 Annika 26 stops
  3. 3 Tom I. 22 stops
  4. 4 Lea 10 stops
  5. 5 Anita H. 7 stops
  6. 6 Denise S. 6 stops
  7. 7 Laurie B. 5 stops
  8. 8 Elinor A. 4 stops
  9. 9 Ashley 4 stops
  10. 10 George J. 3 stops

Attend events to win one of these fabulous prizes

Free Appetizer
Free Appetizer Free appetizer to anyone who completes the Trash Talk Tour 2026 badge (find 5 scavenger hunt stops). TrashTalkTour.Org/Scavenger Sponsored by Little Kim
Laser class and month-long membership for 2
Laser class and month-long membership for 2 Sponsored by Maker Works
$25 Gift Card to BYOC Co.
$25 Gift Card to BYOC Co. Sponsored by BYOC Co.
Miel de Cacao
Miel de Cacao Sponsored by Mindo Chocolate Makers
$10 at Tasty Bakery
$10 at Tasty Bakery Sponsored by Tasty Bakery

The team

Meet the people who bring you Trash Talk Tour year after year.

Dan Ezekiel
Dan Ezekiel Founder
Nathan Yost
Nathan Yost Repair Lead
Elif Saglik
Elif Saglik Program Intern
Lydia McMullen-Laird
Lydia McMullen-Laird Lead Organizer
Dennis Burke Volunteer
Melinda Bostwick Founding Volunteer
Samuel McMullen
Samuel McMullen Tech

Sponsors and partners

Trash Talk Tour is made possible by our sponsors and partners.

Sponsors
Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor
Washtenaw County
Partners
Recycle Ann Arbor
University of Michigan Campus Sustainability & Innovation
ZeroWaste.Org

Want to join the crew? Write to hello@zerowaste.org. Already spreading the word? The outreach packet has ready-to-use event blurbs, email copy and social posts.

Frequently asked questions

What does “zero waste” mean?

The definition adopted by the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) is:

Zero Waste: The conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse and recovery of all products, packaging, and materials, without burning them, and without discharges to land, water or air that threaten the environment or human health.

How do I participate in the tour?

Visit our tour events page for a list of tour events and register for the ones that interest you. We have limited capacity so make sure to grab your spot early!

Is there a particular order for the tour?

No. Take part in any parts of Trash Talk Tour that work with your schedule!

Is it OK for participants to just pick a couple stops?

Absolutely!

That’s a lot of events for one weekend! How can I squeeze them all in?

We hold Trash Talk Tour every fall! So if you don’t get a chance to attend all the events this year, don’t worry — most likely, you’ll get another chance next year.