Islanders Clean Up Nantucket During Annual Litter Derby

Dozens of Nantucket residents fanned out across the island over the weekend with a singular mission: to clean it up.

The fourth annual Nantucket Litter Derby saw more than 30 teams participating in a friendly competition to gather the most trash possible over two days. The goal was not only to clean up Nantucket's roadsides, open spaces and neglected areas, but also raise awareness about the island's litter problem.

Organized by island resident Leah Mojer, the Litter Derby has grown into a spring tradition that brings together island organizations, businesses, and students.

The team that gathered the most trash was awarded the first place prize: a cool $1,000. It was no surprise, then, that the top spot was earned by the team "CleanAcks," made up of members of the Nantucket Clean Team that regularly picks up trash during the summer months. The team included Thomas Wiggins, Alison Wiggins, Christina Wiggins, Kitty Kania, and Scott and Jennifer Anderson. Together they gathered four full truckloads of trash that included road signs, metal, tires, a flat-screen television, car batteries, nips, and "one unmentionable toy."

The Land Bank's team finished second, while the "Trash Pandas" came in third. The prizes and medals were awarded during an after-party at Cisco Brewers.