One man’s trash…

Justin Gignac is 27 years old. He is a college graduate, former MTV production assistant and has had a brief but successful stint as an advertising executive.

But this afternoon, Justin could be found wondering SoHo with a black trash bag in his gloved hand, picking up litter from the crowded streets. It’s become a familiar routine for the Connecticut native.

The common misconception is that he is simply a good Samaritan, helping to clean up the notoriously littered streets of the Big Apple. But his t-shirt, which reads “Thank you for littering,” gives him away.

The truth is that this is how Justin now makes his living: collecting little pieces of New York life, which he then seals in clear plastic boxes labeled “Garbage, New York City” and sells for $50 to $100 each. (Available on his website, www.nycgarbage.com)

Last week, Justin sold his thousandth box.

“I guess if no one littered, I’d be out of a job,” Justin said as he bent to pick up a copy of today’s Village Voice crumpled on the Bleeker Street sidewalk. “But I don’t think there’s any danger of that.”

Intrigued? Follow this link to see my video on Mr. Gignac.