LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Benjamin Appiah is using his platform to tackle a different goal than most social media influencers: picking up trash across the Las Vegas Valley and motivating others to do the same.
Appiah moved to Las Vegas from Ghana three years ago. In March, he decided to start sharing online the work he was already doing to help keep his new home clean.
“And when I’m doing something, I’m not going to hide it. I will do the work for everybody to see,” Appiah said.
Appiah has amassed more than 10,000 followers on TikTok, where he posts videos of himself picking up trash along the sides of Valley roads for free.
“Yes, some people might want to get paid, and yes I would love it too if I can, but I’m not waiting for nobody to pay me before I clean the streets,” he said.
When he is not out cleaning, Appiah works in security. He said a busy schedule should not stop people from doing what they can to help the environment.
“Every Vegas native, I’m encouraging each and everyone to just pick up one piece of trash a day, it would do good,” he said.
Appiah described Las Vegas as his dream city, but said he was surprised by how much litter he saw after moving here. He said people in his home country often have high expectations of what Las Vegas will look like when they visit.
“And yes it’s beautiful, but when I moved out here I noticed it’s a lot of trash everywhere almost everywhere and I was like…no,” he said.
He also said keeping the Valley clean takes more than city workers alone.
“People sometimes be like ‘you’re wasting your time, why are you doing this, let the city do it’ and I know the city they are doing their best, but it needs more hands,” Appiah said.
Appiah said he has noticed how quickly trash can return even after an area is cleaned.
“Let’s not wait for the state to clean it, because it builds up quickly after they clean it; that’s what I’ve noticed,” he said.
By posting videos of his cleanups, Appiah said he hopes to encourage others to join him. He said the response so far has been positive.