Livermore man's ‘trashy' content inspires loyal social media following

As social media influencers go, Andy Wang might be one of the few out there who deserves praise for his “trashy” content.

For the past few years, Wang, who goes by the moniker Pengweather online, has traveled across the Bay Area cleaning up illegal dumping sites. Wang then uploads time-lapse videos and before-and-after photos of the operation. The oddly satisfying content seems to have resonated with a growing audience on Instagram and Reddit. 

"It's like an art – seeing the before and afters, what's underneath the trash,” Wang said.

Last Sunday, Wang organized a group to clean up a stretch on Isabel Avenue in Livermore. Within two hours, there wasn’t a styrofoam cup or snack wrapper to be found. The portion of the roadway wasn’t particularly picturesque to begin with, but without any litter, it was no longer an eyesore.

"Basically, I'm trying to just show people that actions have consequences – good and bad consequences. Bad if we do nothing and this is what we end up with. Good if we took the time to think about what we did and not illegally dump,” Wang said. 

Wang found himself drawn to trash cleanup while driving through the Altamont Pass on Interstate 580. He was appalled by all the trash along what should be a scenic journey in and out of the Bay Area. He decided to stop one day and begin cleaning up. He found the work satisfying, not just because of how the area looked when he was done but how he felt doing it.

“I prefer doing it by myself,” Wang said. “It just gives me time to be by myself. As I pick up trash, I think about life. It's just like a time for me to decompress.”

Wang hopes through his work, he’ll inspire others to help in his effort to beautify the Bay Area. He has already seen evidence that is working.

“I've seen people post what they've been doing for their neighborhoods and the stuff that they've been doing to try and keep the neighborhood clean,” Wang said. “It just really feels nice to know I've inspired people.”