The Week contest: Trash house

This week’s question: A new study found that most hermit crabs spotted in the wild now use manmade garbage — such as bottle caps and lightbulb bases — as their shells. In seven or fewer words, create a message for a picket sign these trash-dwelling crustaceans could carry to protest the low quality of their new homes.

 Click here to see the results of last week's contest: Short hit

RESULTS:

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

THE WINNER: Garbage smells, we want shells

Chip Richman, Fort Collins, Colorado

SECOND PLACE: Housing should be free, not debris

Rebecca Burgan, Grass Valley, California

THIRD PLACE: Stop this dirty shell game

Steve Brown, Biltmore Lake, North Carolina

HONORABLE MENTIONS: 

We refuse your refuse!

Josh Carruth, Whitesboro, New York

This is litter-ally no place like home

Claire Williams, Louisville, Kentucky

We’re bitter in your litter

George Strong, Plano, Texas

I was evicted by a bottle opener

Daniel Hicks, Randolph, Massachusetts

Your trash sure isn’t MY treasure!

Rose Gabeletto, Nemacolin, Pennsylvania 

We shell overcome!

Janine Witte, Doylestown, Pennsylvania

House your trash, don’t trash my house

Ken Kellam III, Dallas, Texas

Better homes than garbage

John Rengstorff, New York City, New York 

No more junk in our trunks

David Jencen, Liberty Township, Ohio