Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Unilever scales back social and plastic promises In an attempt to cut costs, Unilever weakens its commitments to sustainability, reducing plastic use targets and living wage goals. Critics slam the move while the CEO defends it as a shift in focus, not a retreat from responsibility. Plastics

If you care about plastic pollution, the announcement of a Global Plastics Treaty from the UN is big news. It means the problem is now internationally recognised and countries will have to work together to solve it. The final agreement could limit new plastic production, stop toxic chemicals and make sure products are designed for

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories New study finds over 4000 toxic chemicals in plastic. A huge new survey reveals a shocking 16,000 chemicals are used in plastics, with over 4,200 deemed hazardous. Worryingly, only a fraction are regulated, leaving thousands potentially harming our health and the environment. Investors are pressuring big brands

Have you ever thought about how much plastic is in our daily lives? We know to avoid plastic bags and bottles, but what about the plastic hiding in everyday items? Here are 20 surprising things that contain plastics, along with some tips for how to avoid them.  Clothes: 60% of our clothes contain synthetic fibres

For decades, the iconic recycling arrows on plastic lulled us into a false sense of security. We imagine a closed-loop system – plastic diligently sorted and reborn into new products. However, the reality of plastic recycling is far more complex, and the system itself is inefficient. Let’s find out why. Pick up any plastic packaging

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Plastic producers lied about effectiveness of recycling A report from the Centre of Climate Integrity has revealed that despite knowing, from as early as the 1980s, that recycling was not a good solution, plastic companies promoted it anyway. The evidence in the report has led experts to

From the deepest oceans to the highest peaks, plastic has infiltrated every corner of the planet. This isn’t just an environmental issue – it’s a human rights crisis. Let’s explore how and why.   Right to health Plastic is a product of fossil fuels and chemicals. Toxins are released throughout its entire lifecycle, from the extraction

It all began with a simple idea. In December 2013, a group of friends gathered on a beach in Thailand, with the goal of cleaning up the trash that was washing up on the shore from all corners of the globe. It was the start of something extraordinary: a journey of ten remarkable years that

We hear the words refill and reuse a lot and often use them interchangeably. But did you know that they are not the same thing? In this blog, we’ll show you what the differences are – and why they are important as we move towards a zero waste world.  Imagine this: you’ve drained the last

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Plastic-related health issues cost $250billion every year Think plastic comes with just an environmental price tag? Think again. The Hill has reported that a staggering $250 billion is spent every year in the US alone on health issues linked to chemicals in plastic. All your food now contains plastic! This must-read report gives a clear and

Trash Hero Kota Kinabalu leader, Zurainee, was excited to meet her volunteers in a different setting: “it felt good spending time with heroes in a different and ‘cleaner’ platform”.   It’s true that when they usually meet – before, during and after cleanups – Trash Hero volunteers are engrossed in the task at hand. Most of

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories New York state sues PepsiCo for plastic pollution New York State is suing the multinational drinks company for plastic pollution. Brand Audits are being used as evidence in the case as the New York attorney general demands they reduce plastic packaging and pay for damages to health

The third of five rounds of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty in Nairobi ended in confusion and uncertainty last week. Trash Hero was there and reports on the key takeaways from the meeting. K E Y   O U T C O M E S - The draft text of the treaty was made more

That could also save you money! The holiday season is rapidly approaching. It’s that special time of year when we exchange gifts, embrace cherished traditions and indulge in delicious feasts. However, there is a not-so-jolly side to the festive season: Christmas generates approximately 30% more waste than any other time of the year, and by

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Myanmar communities drowning in world’s waste Trash from Lidl supermarkets in the UK and other stores in Poland and Canada has been discovered at illegal dumping sites in Myanmar. Residents of the vulnerable communities are concerned about their health Cleanup technologies do more harm than good New

The results of our big volunteer survey are in! Discover who volunteers for our movement – and what motivates them. Trash Hero volunteers are the driving force of our mission to create a world free from plastic pollution. To find out more about the incredible individuals who dedicate their time and energy to the movement,

Our roundup of the month's most important stories It’s scientifically proven: cleanups make a real impact! We've always known it, but it's now been scientifically proven - beach cleanups matter! New research shows that cleanups "rapidly and drastically" reduce the amount of plastic particles that end up in the environment. Recycling plastic not enough, warns

Clever marketing promotes incineration as an efficient, green, and even “zero waste” approach to energy and trash. We can make our waste “disappear” and produce energy at the same time – who wouldn’t want that?  So why has the EU banned new incinerators? And why do we believe that it has no place in the

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Plastic levels in Lake Geneva was high as world’s oceans Oceaneye, a Geneva-based non-profit, has released research revealing that the famously pristine Swiss Lake contains alarming levels of plastic pollution. Microplastics found in the human heart Samples taken during patients’ cardiac surgery confirm that plastic is truly

Lightweight, brandable, airtight, and cheap: sachets embody plastic’s most appealing qualities. As single-serving pouches, they are touted as affordable for low-income households. Yet, the actual cost of sachets extends far beyond their price. Their short-lived life triggers serious environmental, health, and social impacts, particularly in the very communities they claim to assist. The first record

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories French government to pay for repairs to clothes and shoes The French government are encouraging people to have their clothes and shoes repaired instead of throwing them away. People can reclaim up to €25 when they use certain workshops to fix the items, rather than throw them

“With every product sold, we’ll recover 1kg of ocean-bound plastic. Together, we can stop plastic pollution” Have you ever seen a claim like this? We have. As a network that organises thousands of cleanups every year, Trash Hero is often approached by companies offering so-called “plastic offsetting”. We are offered cash for trash, in return

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Bali community tell Danone: stop poisoning us In Bali, members of the Angga Swara neighbourhood in Jimbaran, wrote a letter to Danome asking ‘stop poisoning us’. A plastic plant in the area, used to greenwash the company’s image, breaches regulations and emits toxic smoke. Articles are also

The incredible impact that Trash Hero has had is due to the dedication and commitment of our volunteers. They are the movement’s driving force, and their positive attitude and hard work is inspiring To keep this spirit alight, Trash Hero World holds regular on-site “Family Meetings”, which allow active volunteers inside our major countries of

Key outcomes In 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly made an historic resolution to develop “an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment” – the Global Plastics Treaty – and gave member states just two short years to agree on the text. And there is a lot of ground to

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories McDonalds lobbies against refill and reuse McDonalds produces 1 billion kg of packaging per year, equivalent to the weight of 100 Eiffel towers! Proposed EU regulations would force them to transition to refill and reuse systems. This article from the EU observer reveals how they have been

We currently produce an enormous quantity of waste, especially plastic. This overproduction, and the resulting mismanagement, directly increase greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change.  A recent Global Alliance Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) report reveals the ‘clearest and most comprehensive evidence yet’ that a zero waste approach would totally transform this situation by reducing

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Plastic food packaging found in brain 2 hours after ingestion A concerning new study on mice shows that tiny particles of polystyrene – a material frequently used to package takeaway food worldwide – were found in their brain just hours after consuming it. The Pacific Garbage Patch

Have you ever noticed what brand of coffee the characters on your favourite TV show drink? Or what type of phone the heroes in the latest blockbuster movie are using? This kind of product placement has been used for years by companies to subtly advertise their products. What’s shown in film and TV can also

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories New disease caused by plastic pollution found in birds A new disease called ‘Plasticosis’ has been found in birds. Caused by plastic pollution, it seriously impacts their ability to digest food, and exposes them to infection and parasites. Watch the report from ABC news. Women are more

What’s the easiest and most effective recycling in the world? Recycling that you can do yourself at home? The answer may surprise you: organics! Separating and recycling organics – food and garden waste – is often overlooked when we talk about improving waste management but in truth it is the key to making a circular

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories ‘Recycled’ shoes tracked to an Indonesian flea market A shocking report from Reuters exposes a “recycling scheme” from Dow Chemicals. It promised that old trainers would be turned into playgrounds and roads, but tracking devices found the waste had been exported to Indonesia instead. Kenya is the

Every week volunteers around the world put on their yellow t-shirts and commit to working towards a world free from plastic pollution – but what does it really mean to be a Trash Hero? It means that we are a global movement. Trash Hero is currently active in 139 locations in 17 countries. To date,

Last month England joined the growing list of countries that ban various single-use plastic items. Starting in October 2023, items such as plastic plates, cutlery, takeaway food containers and more will no longer be available in restaurants, retailers or the hospitality industry. The government is hoping it will drastically reduce the amount of single-use plastic

'Recycled' Amazon packaging burns at illegal dumpsite Amazon packaging that environmentally conscious citizens had diligently recycled in North American was found burning at an illegal dumpsite in India. This story was announced shortly after it was revealed that Amazon plastic packaging had increased, despite their promises to do better. Do you trust the recycling process

Trash Hero World has submitted a proposal to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) ahead of the second session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-2) to develop a Global Plastics Treaty.  We worked together with Break Free from Plastic to submit the statement, which addresses the potential elements for the treaty and outlines a plan

Sandro Schnarwiler, the managing director of Schnarwiler cosmetics, has been passionate about the problem of plastic pollution for a long time. After watching a television documentary that featured Trash Hero in 2018, he decided he wanted to help. He approached the team with the idea of developing a refill and reuse system for his cosmetic

Volunteers are the heart of Trash Hero and the movement’s driving force.  They organise cleanups, educate kids about plastic pollution, and build essential community ties – all in their free time. We want to ensure that Trash Hero volunteers are well-equipped to engage their communities in reducing plastic and feel confident in their skills to

In November, Break Free From Plastic released their 5th annual Brand Audit report. As well as documenting which companies are responsible for the majority of plastic counted this year, it analyses which corporations have been responsible for the majority of plastic pollution for five consecutive years.  The 2022 report consisted of 397 brand audits on

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Coca-Cola plastic production up by 8.8% in one year Coca-Cola claims to be addressing their plastic problem, but last year they produced an extra 236,000 tons of single-use packaging! Is this to be expected? Or are they taking greenwashing to the next level? Read the full story

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Thailand to ban plastic scrap imports New laws will stop the country being an international “dump site for plastic waste” by 2025. Read the full story here Most smokers are unaware of the devastating impacts of cigarette butts This article shows that less than a quarter of

A fascinating new report, ‘Winter is coming’ by Break Free From Plastic and CIEL, explores how the ongoing fuel crisis is linked to the plastics industry.  The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has affected energy supplies and, consequently, prices worldwide. This is especially true for European countries that rely on Russia for oil

At the end of September, we concluded our brand audit data collection for the year. This year we conducted 120 Brand Audits! These were completed by 57 chapters in 6 countries – Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Switzerland, Poland and Georgia. There were 1,620 volunteers that took part and they recorded 29,504 pieces of plastic.  A brand

Our roundup of the month’s most important stories Can reducing plastic production ease the energy crisis? Winter is coming – a new report from CIEL and Break Free From Plastic reveals the link between plastic and rising heating bills Or read this article about the findings Refill and reuse schemes are flourishing in the Global

In August, Trash Hero held its first ever Family Meeting in Europe, in Svaty Jan Pod Skalou – a beautiful little village just outside of Prague, Czech Republic. It was attended by 26 participants from 11 chapters in 5 different countries – Switzerland, Serbia, Kuwait, Czech Republic and Poland!  The weekend was kindly hosted by

On 10 July 2022, the influential US non-profit organisation, Ocean Conservancy, issued a formal apology to more than 700 organisations for the damage their report, ‘Stemming the Tide’, has caused since it was released in 2015. In addition, they rescinded the report, removing it from their website and have ceased all promotion of and reference

Our roundup of the weeks most important stories Synthetic clothes and tyres account for most ocean microplastics A global survey reveals the surprising sources of microplastics in our oceans. Find out more here Plastic Free July campaign has a lasting impact Water refill stations set up during the month avoid more than 19,000 single-use bottles.

Our half-year numbers are in! Our half-year numbers are in, and they make us so proud of every single volunteer who has contributed to the impact of the global Trash Hero movement – whether they joined one cleanup or 100!  In just six months in 2022, 26,666 volunteers (of which 8,098 were under 16) completed

Our roundup of the weeks most important stories H&M being sued for greenwashing The claim states that their ‘Conscious Collection’ marketing is “misleading” and “falsified”. It has even been claimed that parts of the collection are more damaging to the environment than the regular products. Find out more here Thailand orders imported waste to be

Our roundup of the weeks most important stories Clean sustainable environment a human right – Historic UN ruling Now governments have an obligation to fulfil this, how will they do it and how will it impact the plastics industry? A clean, healthy and sustainable environment is vital for our survival, the ruling should help catalyze

Changed your habits? Now it’s time to change the world! Lists of advice on how to reduce your plastic use are all over the internet. If you’re reading this, perhaps you already own a bamboo toothbrush, carry a reusable bottle and bag and shop at refill stores. Maybe you separate your waste like a pro

Our roundup of the weeks most important stories An island with no plastic? Discover the province in the Philippines where zero waste is becoming a reality. Read the full story here Can bioplastics or plastic fuel help solve the plastic crisis? A new website provides clear, science-based information on popular plastic “solutions”. The website has

Our roundup of the weeks most important stories Deposit return scheme to start in Scotland in 2023 It is hoped recycling rates for plastic bottles will increase to 90% – will other countries follow?Find out more here Life-threatening toxins found in 100% of plastic bottles tested New report says companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi need

Our roundup of the weeks most important stories Teenagers can now gain a qualification in climate change The new Northern Irish syllabus will cover single-use plastic and fast fashion, but how should they be taught? Will the responsibility for change be placed on the right people? Find out more about the qualification here Greenwash.com: new

Our roundup of the week’s most important stories Festivals in Netherlands to stop using single-use cups After successful trials, reusable cups will soon be the new norm for Dutch festival-goers. Find out more about how this system will work and people’s reactions to it here Trash Hero Luzern’s brand audit makes the news Tele 1

Our roundup of the week’s most important stories 1. US Supreme Court removes EPA’s power to limit CO2 emissions Blow to climate action: the US Environmental Protection Agency can no longer force power plants to reduce emissions.The Environmental Protection Agency of the world’s second largest greenhouse gas emitter has been prevented from regulating emissions from

Our roundup of the week’s most important stories Unilever’s empty plastic promises They said single-use sachets were “evil” and vowed to stop producing them. Secretly, they lobbied against laws that would ban them. Find out why in Reuter’s new report. EU agrees to common charger  No more unnecessary e-waste (and tangled cables)! The EU will

After two and a half years of online meetings, this year we were finally able to have our Trash Hero Family Meetings in person!  Family Meetings are our regular volunteer training and team-building events that celebrate our chapters’ achievements and facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experience and skills that will benefit both their community and

Plastic production is increasing, how can we – as concerned citizens- change this? We want to inspire you to make small changes and demand bigger ones so that globally we have a meaningful impact. This World Refill Day (June 16th) we’re taking a closer look at refill and reuse and discovering why they are the

Plastic coming into contact with our food has been a source of concern for many years, but it would seem the contamination starts much earlier than the final packaging It is common knowledge that microplastics pose a serious threat to environmental and human health. Not only have microplastics been found in our drinking water, food

At the very heart of Trash Hero, and indeed the driving force of it, are our volunteers. Every week hundreds of people across the world come together to help clean, educate, and work towards change within the communities they cherish. Trash Hero is formed of over 170 chapters and hundreds of volunteers who are dedicated

Until recently, coverage of the impact of plastic pollution has tended to focus on marine debris and harm done to wildlife. Recent developments, however, indicate that the species most widely affected by plastic could well be us: humans. A series of reports published over the last month highlight how far plastic has travelled – not

Trash Hero World is honoured to have been granted formal consultative status at the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA). This “observer status” is awarded through an accreditation from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which we received on 16 March 2022. UNEP has been working for 50 years to protect the environment, fight climate change

Trash Hero Czech Republic’s Jan Bares recently met with the Czech Minister of the Environment, Anna Hubáčková, as part of a delegation from Zálohujme.cz, a campaign to introduce a nationwide deposit return system for cans and PET bottles. They presented the government with a petition of 35,596 signatures calling for the introduction of such a

In a new study, Empa researcher Dominik Brunner, together with colleagues from the Utrecht University and the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics, investigated the amount of plastic present in precipitation over the period of a month.  According to the study, nanoplastics can spread aerially over a 2,000-kilometre radius resulting in around 43 trillion

The average city-dweller in Thailand produces 1.3kg of waste per day. Trash Hero Pattani organised a camping trip for 125 people that generated just 40g of waste per person, per day! How did they manage it? They started training several weeks before the trip to the beautiful region of Yala, in southern Thailand. A group

Did you know that in 2021 alone Trash Hero organised 2,801 cleanups? That is almost 8 cleanups on every single day of the year! We have also welcomed 49,426 volunteers on board, including 11,531 under the age of 16. We collected a whopping 284,606 kg of trash, an average of 102 kg per cleanup. With

Trash Hero World is proud to have been invited to become a new member of the Plastic Health Coalition. Together, we will work on preventing and resolving the harmful impacts of plastic pollution on the environment, as well as filling the knowledge gaps regarding the relationship between plastics and human health. The Plastic Health Coalition

Billed as the film “Big Oil doesn’t want you to see”, the Emmy-Award winning documentary The Story of Plastic presents a cohesive timeline of how we got to the current stage in the global plastic crisis, showing how the petrochemical and FMCG industries manipulated the narrative around the pollution they were creating, successfully pinning the

Entering its eighth year, new challenges have emerged for Trash Hero Indonesia. No longer do we wonder how to get people to join our clean ups, but how to prevent the trash from existing in the first place. With the increasing recognition of Trash Hero Indonesia as an organisation advocating the concept of zero waste,

We are excited to share that our Trash Hero kids’ book is now available in an 8th language: Arabic! Huge thanks to the Trash Hero Kuwait volunteers who helped to translate and do the layout and to Al-Sayer Group who sponsored the printing. The book and activity programme will now be available to 1,000 children

Three pilot classes have been implemented as part of the Trash Hero Kids’ Programme in Switzerland, with the aim of raising environmental awareness among children from 1st to 3rd grade and teaching them how to live sustainably and reduce plastic in their everyday life. As part of the Programme we developed a book which tells

In the evening of November 12th, Trash Hero took part in a very special event – a gala with an acoustic concert organised in Hotel Alexander (Weggis, Switzerland). A piano and guitar set was performed by a Swiss singer and song-writer Eliane, winner of the second season of Switzerland’s Got Talent. Eliane is an ambassador

Teaching and advocating for zero waste is rarely a simple case of passing on knowledge, like with a mathematical formula. For the knowledge to be accepted, it usually requires an accompanying shift in people’s values and behaviour. Changing someone’s whole world view is never going to be easy. However, after a week spent in Belgium

Trash Hero World is happy to announce that our Chapter Handbook has recently been translated into the Vietnamese language! In addition to Vietnamese, our handbook is also available in English, Thai, Indonesian and Burmese. This comprehensive document provides our future chapter leaders with recommendations on how to form a team, find sponsors and carry out

The data collection for the 2021 brand audit has been successfully completed! This year, 141 brand audits were carried out across 58 chapters in 8 countries, including Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. Despite working under the challenging circumstances of COVID-19, our organisation has submitted roughly 50% more brand audit reports compared to last year. Brand audits

The Trash Hero kids’ story and activity book has been translated into a sixth language – Malaysian! With the help of Trash Hero Malaysia volunteers, 1000 children on both Borneo and the mainland will soon get the chance to be heroes through our hands-on learning programme. 17,830 copies of the book have been printed since

One of the main – and most effective – measures to control the spread of COVID-19 is the use of face masks. Placed over the nose and mouth, their function is to contain respiratory droplets which transmit the virus and stop them spreading to other people. There are various grades of mask, but it is

  “Through our actions, we can highlight that the system isn’t good enough […] We no longer want to wait for the state to do something, for someone else to do something, for a neighbour to do something, therefore I’ll do something. I’m the one.” So speaks our own Dragana Katić, volunteer leader of Trash

The Trash Hero movement has recently reached a very important milestone on the journey to zero-waste: more than 2 MILLION KG of trash collected! As of 30 June 2021: We have engaged 391,791 volunteers, including 98,341 kids. We have done 13,598 cleanups, collecting 2,005,774 kg of trash. We are active in 162 locations in 20

As Trash Heroes, we come across many ideas on how to “solve” plastic pollution. Every week some new technology or product is heralded by the media as the way out of the plastic crisis. And our inboxes are filled with companies requesting to work with us or promote their latest “sustainable initiative”. It can get

With the pandemic still preventing meeting in person, our first round of family meetings for 2021 were again held online. Trash Hero World organised two global Zoom calls, while chapters in Indonesia, Thailand , Malaysia and Switzerland also hosted their own. While we acknowledge that a remote meeting cannot adequately match a face-to-face discussion, we

  To celebrate Earth Day, we are sharing this great animated short from The Story of Stuff Project. It is a companion to the feature length documentary, “The Story of Plastic”, released last year. It shows how litter on beaches and straws in turtles’ noses are just a tiny visible part of the problem with

Like so much of our lives this year, the Trash Hero family meetings moved online, taking place virtually in November and December. After the first round of meetings, normally held in April / May, were cancelled, it was important to bring people together to reconnect and regroup – no matter what the circumstances. Our volunteers

With our cleanup programme now well established in dozens of locations around Southeast Asia, many of our volunteers are ready to take things to the next level: to move beyond picking up the trash and initiate community-level waste reduction programmes, in conjunction with local authorities. It was with this in mind that we embarked on

We all know that switching to reusables instead of single-use for everyday items like cutlery, food packaging and water bottles avoids a lot of plastic. Reducing waste and pollution is usually the main motivation for people who choose to reuse. In addition to this, a recent study has also quantified the climate positive impact of

The results of Break Free From Plastic’s annual Brand Audit Report have been released today, confirming that, for the third year in row, the same few companies are responsible for the vast quantities of single-use plastic polluting our planet. In total, during August and September, 14,734 volunteers in 55 countries conducted 575 brand audits, collecting

As Trash Heroes, our regular cleanups make us very visible in the community. Our volunteers often find themselves invited to meetings, panel discussions or talks about waste management. Trash Hero World is committed to ensuring they are armed with the best possible knowledge about the plastic crisis and how to solve it. In this way,

WE CLEAN – WE EDUCATE – WE CHANGE Tadaa! 🎉 Das Trash Hero Kinderbuch gibt es jetzt auch auf Deutsch! 💛 Das Kinderbuch “Trash Hero” von Seema Prabhu, übersetzt von Sabrina Ritz und Illustrationen von Ewelina Wajgert bringt Kindern die komplexen Themen Umweltverschmutzung, Abfall und Recycling auf ganz einfache Art und Weise näher. Die englische

Being a Trash Hero has become a way of life for thousands of volunteers around the world. Our simple and non-confrontational actions to reduce plastic waste can be integrated seamlessly into any cultural setting. Here is a wonderful example in Bali, where the local Hindu community has made cleanups part of its religious rituals. The

With all the negative media coverage about plastic pollution, it feels like consumer goods and petrochemical companies are queuing up to fund environmental organisations. Sponsoring cleanups and recycling initiatives allows them to show they are doing something about the problem, while at the same time laying the blame for it on the “irresponsible consumer”. So

As Trash Heroes, we know a community cleanup is one of the most effective ways to help people understand the impact of plastic pollution and create the positive energy needed for change. But we also know cleanups on their own are not a long term solution to the problem of plastic waste. For that, we

A message from the Trash Hero co-founder, Roman Peter: As the scale and severity of the Covid-19 pandemic became clear in early March, our immediate priority was to make sure our hundreds of volunteers and communities were safe. Our network is global and then – as now – every country was responding differently to the

Trash Hero’s activities are based on bringing communities together in collective action. Normally this is a great thing! However we are very mindful of the risk of continuing “business as usual” in the light of the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Like most people, we have been monitoring developments and gathering as much information as possible

A deposit system for PET bottles and aluminium cans: yes or no? That is the hot topic in the Czech Republic right now. Despite the fact that 75% of Czech citizens are in favour of a deposit system, the Czech Ministry of Environment is not a big fan. Nonetheless, on 9 January 2020 in Prague,

Trash Hero’s greatest strength is its people. Our volunteers bring the energy, hard work and commitment that our weekly programmes demand. More, they live our values, spreading the message of reducing waste to their families, friends and work colleagues. Twice a year, we gather these community leaders together in national “family meetings”, hosted by Trash

This week, Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) released their second global brand audit, Branded Vol. II: Identifying the World’s Top Corporate Plastic Polluters.  On 2019’s World Clean Up Day held September 21, more than 72 thousand volunteers from 51 countries around the world collected 476,423 pieces of plastic from coastlines, riversides, and within their communities

Plastic is everywhere in modern life. Its purpose is practical – it’s durable, lightweight, and versatile across its millions of uses. But until recently, little has been studied about the impact of our constant, everyday exposure to the chemicals that make up plastic items, and experts are worried about potential long-term health effects that can

Extremely heavy rainfall hit the small island of Koh Chang, Thailand over September 15-16 causing major flash flooding throughout the island. The flooding was so strong that dozens of homes were damaged, and more than 100 motorbikes and three vehicles were washed away, as reported by the local government. According to residents, it was the

All across the world Trash Heroes are getting ready to join the massive international cleanup effort this Saturday, September 21. World Cleanup Day began in 2008 when 50,000 people united in Estonia to clean the country in 5 hours. Today, this effort has expanded, bringing together millions of people across 157 countries to address our

If Trash Heroes are certain of one thing, it’s that change happens when we band together! The Trash Hero Kids Movement is going strong in Koh Yao Noi, Thailand, where kids at local schools are taking action to save the world and learn how to live more sustainably. The excitement grew even stronger this month

The Trash Hero Malaysia network is growing, from four locations in 2017 to more than 20 active today. Let’s hear from the young leaders of one of our newest chapters, Trash Hero Bintulu! “Last Sunday, our co-leader Jiki was invited as one of the speakers during Bintulu Townhall 2019. During the event we spoke about

Our Trash Hero chapter in Langsuan, Chumphon Province, Thailand, has come up with an ingenious scheme to motivate local residents to separate and recycle their waste. In an area with no waste management infrastructure – not even basic garbage collection – most households either dump or openly burn their trash, as they have done for

The latest round of Trash Hero Family Meetings drew to a close this week in Zurich, Switzerland. The city was one of two new European locations that hosted our regular team-building, training and networking event for volunteers – the other being in Prague, Czech Republic, earlier this month. The new additions reflect the rapid growth

The very first Trash Hero Family Meeting in Czech Republic took place between 6 – 9th June 2019. There are currently 17 active chapters and 7 of the biggest ones have attended the meeting. Namely Trash Hero Praha, Trash Hero Brno, Trash Hero Ostrava, Trash Hero Plzeň, Trash Hero Karviná, Trash Hero Tachov and Trash

Last week, Trash Hero Bangkok joined regional stakeholders at a United Nations Environmental Programme-led conference in Bangkok dedicated to tackling the transboundary challenge of marine litter. Globally, more than 80 percent of plastic marine debris comes from land-based sources. And in Asia, both rapid development and economic success has strained waste management – an issue

Our Trash Heroes in Myanmar met President U Win Myint at a World Environment Day event in Nay Pyi Taw. The President was originally introduced to Trash Hero in 2018, then honoring the growing national movement and its local chapters for their fantastic work, and for promoting the spirit of sustainability within their individual communities. 

A recent trip to the southernmost waters of the World Ocean uncovers tons of rubbish and provides inspiration for a Trash Hero. Trash Hero Czech Republic volunteer and artist, Veronika Podlasova, visited Nelson Island with the Czech Antarctic Research Programme in February this year, as one of a team of six who spent several weeks

Many of our chapters across Southeast Asia are observing the holy month of Ramadan, which started on 5 May. Cleanups for the most part have been suspended as communities will be fasting during daylight hours. However, our volunteers are still very active! The main focus is on the daily “Ramadan markets”, which provide easy, takeaway

Trash Hero Beograd has received the acclaimed “Green Leaf Award” in recognition of their achievements in popularising environmental action in Serbia in 2018. The award was presented to Dragana Katic and Boris Nikolić, the chapter leaders, at a ceremony in Sremski Karlovci on 26 April 2019. They accepted the award on behalf of all the

Maya Bay is famous throughout the world: first as “The Beach” in the Leonardo Dicaprio movie of the same name and, more recently, as the beach that was closed to the public due to excessive damage from tourist traffic. Trash Hero Koh Phi Phi had the privilege of holding a recent cleanup on the now

At Trash Hero we have always believed that cooperation is the key to creating long term behavioural change. That’s why we are very excited about our latest collaboration with Sonni Hönscheid, the six-time SUP world champion, MIZU, Starboard and Brands for Good. All of us share the same goal, as Sonni puts it: “to get

We are delighted to launch the Trash Hero edition of #tasini and #inibags, as part of our ongoing Bottles & Bags programme. The bags are a collaboration with the social enterprise Making Oceans Plastic Free, with the idea of reusing plastic bottles to help reduce plastic bag waste. The branded resuable shoppers come in two

More than 200 representatives from 70 nations and various environmental protection organisations gathered at this year’s “Clean World Conference” from 24 to 27 January 2019. The conference was organized in Tallinn, Estonia by the “Let’s Do It Foundation”, with the purpose of sharing experience from World Cleanup Day, held on 15 September last year; taking

Mohd Faisal Abdur Rani, one of the co-ordinators of our Trash Hero Kuala Lumpur chapter, has won a prestigious industry award for his work with Trash Hero Malaysia. Green Project Management (GPM), USA is the world’s largest sustainability professional development organisation. It advocates for sustainability in the project management profession, by helping companies become more

Fourth grader Henry Adelson is a volunteer with Trash Hero New York. This year, he hopes his fellow classmates will join him in cleaning up the Hudson River. My name is Henry Adelson, and I am 9 years old and going into the fourth grade. I live in New York City and go to the

For the first time in five years, leatherback turtles have laid eggs on Thai shores. Leatherbacks are the largest, deepest-diving and farthest-ranging of all the sea turtles, and are known to have existed on Earth since the time of the dinosaurs, 110 million years ago. Yet they are on the brink of worldwide extinction. Mai

What a year it’s been for Trash Hero! Since the last Christmas newsletter, when we proudly announced 42 chapters, our organisation has continued to be at the forefront of ‘glocal’ environmental action. In 2018, as the world finally opened its eyes to the scourge of single use plastic and the damage it is causing to

Only 2 square kilometres in size, the “Robinson Crusoe” paradise of Gili Meno is the smallest of the three Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok in Indonesia. It was here, in February 2015, that Trash Hero Gili Meno was founded. Fringed by an idyllic white sand beach around its entire perimeter, the island was

“Gained new knowledge.” “Sharing insight and ideas.” “We know that we are not alone!” That was just some of the feedback from our recent series of “Trash Hero Family Meetings” held in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia this autumn 2018. These twice-yearly events bring together our local chapter leaders from each country with the Trash Hero

Congratulations to Trash Hero Indonesia! After many months of hard work, the organisation has registered as an Indonesian foundation, known locally as a Yayasan. The official documents to bring the foundation into existence were signed on 4 November 2018 at a ceremony in Ubud Palace, Gianyar, Bali, by Tjokorda Gde Agung Ichiro Sukawati, the Prince of

[Article by Petra, Trash Hero Freiburg] Now they are finally here: thanks to a donation from Freiburg Cleanup Week, around 1,500 new children’s books were made available to our Trash Hero Indonesia chapters at the Family Meeting at the beginning of November in Bali! The Freiburg Cleanup Week is an initiative of the Wirtschaftsjunioren Freiburg

27 October 2018, Chalatat Beach, Songkhla, Southern Thailand: 20 Trash Heroes collected 15 kg of trash… and then patiently counted the number of cigarette butts. The total? 2146! They published their findings to social media, pointing out that it is worth not only collecting big pieces of trash but also to pay attention to small

Our amazing Trash Hero chapters are always going the extra mile to involve their communities. In Trang Province in Thailand, the team have recently launched a campaign to “bring your own” reusable bottle, bag, cutlery or container when out shopping or ordering takeaway food. Their aim is to persuade local businesses – and not just

On 8 September 2018, Trash Hero Canggu led a very special cleanup in conjunction with Gangga Surf Community and a neighbourhood school. With 120 children and 15 adults, they cleaned a section of Yeh Gangga beach on Bali, followed by the release of 50 baby turtles into the ocean. Rima, our local chapter leader, said

G’day from the Australia International Dive Expo at ICC Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia! Monica Chin, the co-founder of Trash Hero Borneo, represented Trash Hero World at the annual event for scuba professionals in August, giving a talk introducing our activities worldwide. With reef conservation high on most divers’ agenda, the issues of marine debris and

It’s been an extraordinary month for Trash Hero in Thailand. We were delighted to see the Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayut Chan-ocha, highlight the growing problem of plastic waste within the kingdom on his weekly address to the nation. His second report on the topic, broadcast across all channels on 10 August 2018, outlined the

On World Oceans Day 2018, Trash Hero was honoured to be featured alongside inspirational figures Tiza Mafira from Diet Kantong Plastik​, Afroz Shah​, Hugo Tagholm from Surfers Against Sewage and Stiv Wilson from The Story of Stuff Project as one of UN Environment’s “5 Ocean Heroes” in an article on their website. You can read

On 5 June 2018, Trash Hero Switzerland had the opportunity to present to some of XL Catlin’s staff at one of their “lunch and learn” sessions in Zurich. We had a very engaged audience and introduced them to the work Trash Hero does worldwide and also to our Trash Hero @ Work program. The following

Special occasions call for a special report! Read all about our recent #trashhero Family Meetings in Southeast Asia below (click on the link to view or download PDF), and find out how they were funded and supported. Thanks to all our sponsors who made it happen and of course to all our amazing chapter leaders

Our friends over at The Whale Company are currently carrying out a 300 kilometer mission to deliver “a message in a bottle” to the UK Parliament about the rising tide of plastic pollution. The team is stand-up paddling its way along the famed UK river route – from source to sea – aboard their trademark

Last week for World Environment Day the Trash Hero Myanmar team with Myanmar President Win Myint during a nationwide event called “Beat Plastic Pollution,” a much-needed push by the government to seek unified support from citizens, volunteer groups, and government bodies to tackle the mounting problem of waste in the country. In the capital of

A recent report by “Zero Waste Europe” and “FOE Europe” reveals that the rise in plastic food packaging in Europe is failing to reduce the continent’s growing food waste problem, and in some cases may even be fueling it. The study, titled Unwrapped: how throwaway plastic is failing to solve Europe’s food waste problem (and what

Over the past three weeks, more than a hundred of our amazing local leaders across Southeast Asia came together in their countries for a series of summits, that we call “family meetings”, due to the incredible spirit and emotional connections that they foster. Exchanging news, knowledge and ideas, they left energised and excited to do

April 16, 2018, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina text by Lea Today I met the wonderful Alfredo Alberto Santa Cruz on my trip through Latin America. Alfredo Alberto and his team from La Casa Ecologica de Botellas use plastics and other trash to construct houses, furniture, accessories as well as fabulous toys for people in need in

Many countries around the world have banned the use of polystyrene – also commonly known as styrofoam – because of its extremely negative environmental impact. For years the material was a popular packaging for food items, electronics, furniture, and disposables because of its light weight, low expense, and wide availability. However, the material is essentially

/// BILD 1 Meine erste Begegnung mit Trash Hero hatte ich in Thailand, wo ich bei diversen Clean Ups mitgeholfen habe. Diese Bewegung hat mich dermassen inspiriert, dass ich auf meinen Trails wie z.B. dem Pacific Crest Trail in den USA, der herumliegende Abfall zusammengesammelt habe. So auch auf dem Israel National Trail, wovon ich

Stafanie Waser first encountered the Trash Hero movement while in Thailand, where she participated in various cleanups. An avid hiker, Stefanie began to collect trash whenever she was hiking, from the Pacific Crest Trail in the US to her most recent effort conquering The Israeli National Trail – rated as among the 10 most beautiful

The Whale Company is a conservation organization started by two passionate conservationists who wanted to connect their love for the ocean with an inspirational message about sustainability. Carolyn and Carlos spent 2017 paddling their way through 12 Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP) marathons on their own, handmade Bottle Boards. The boards are entirely constructed of plastic

It’s true that not all heroes wear capes. In fact, many of them wear yellow – more than 63,000 of them to be exact! Until the end of 2017, 52 Trash Hero chapters around the world rallied 63,098 volunteers who removed more than 408,137 kilograms of waste from our beaches, waterways, and communities. Reports estimate

Schnarwiler AG and Trash Hero World launch four refillable beauty products with 100% natural ingredients. Together they make a valuable contribution to reduce plastic waste in the hotel sector. --Für Deutsch bitte runter scrollen-- Love Earth, Love Water, Love Air and Love Fire - these are the sounding names of the four new products that

Last November, Greeneration Indonesia hosted the 4th annual National Zero Waste Jamboree 2017 in Banda Aceh. By participating in this jamboree, Trash Hero Indonesia is now listed as national movement that is supported by the Indonesian government. “We are citizens of countries, but we are also citizens of the world,” said Trash Hero Rima Agustina,

One of the most impressive abilities of our Trash Hero leaders is their talent for collaborating and uniting an entire community against unnecessary waste, across cultures, languages, businesses, and a number of other interests. Last month, Trash Hero Koh Samui hosted a community-wide event to further network the organization alongside like-minded interests on the island

With your generous support, we have made it through the first stage of our project! Reaching the 8000 euro target means we can now CONFIRM that the Trash Hero Kids book will be printed, distributed and taught to kids in Thailand and Indonesia. Now we aim to extend the project’s impact to include even more

Trash Hero is proud to announce our participation in the global I Care initiative among various organizations, companies, associations and individuals around the world dedicated to a cleaner ocean. I Care participants commit to tackle the problem of marine plastic through three steps: Reduce daily consumption of disposable plastic items Remove of plastic waste from

We have almost two thirds of our target funds to produce our #trashherokids book! Thank you to all who have donated so far. Not donated yet? Take that small step now: https://www.100-days.net/en/projekt/trashhero-children-s-book Many people have commented on the beautiful illustrations in the book and indeed, we chose our artist for her evocative, sensitive treatment of

Last week, Trash Hero was among representatives from across Southeast Asia to attend the first ever ASEAN Conference on Reducing Marine Debris. Members of regional and international NGOs, academics, governmental bodies, private companies, and the UN Environmental Programme gathered in Phuket, Thailand to “share experiences, best practices, and views on tackling marine debris issues,” according

Did you know that you might be accidentally flushing plastic into the environment every time you brush your teeth? These tiny ocean invaders, called microplastics, are small bits of polyethylene plastic added to many health and beauty products. They replace traditionally sustainable exfoliants because of cost and ease of manufacturing. The problem is that these

Education is so important to create lifelong sustainable habits. But we’re also all about teaching kids that being a Trash Hero is a lot of fun! That’s the inspiration behind our latest exciting project: the Trash Hero kids’ book. This book is a beautifully illustrated story written by our heroes themselves, following the journey of

Bildung ist das wichtigste Instrument um lebenslanges, nachhaltiges Verhalten zu generieren. Aber wir möchten den Kindern ebenso zeigen, dass es einfach nur viel Spaß ist, ein Trash Hero zu sein! Dies ist unsere Inspiration hinter dem neuesten Trash Hero-Projekt: das Trash Hero Kinderbuch! Das farbige Bilderbuch verbindet Kinder-Phantasie mit realer Aktion durch eine mitreißende Story

การศึกษาเป็นสิ่งสำคัญในการสร้างพฤติกรรมอันยั่งยืน แต่เราก็อยากบอกเด็ก ๆ ด้วยว่า การเป็นแทรชฮีโร่นั้น เป็นเรื่องสนุก! และนั่นคือแรงบันดาลใจของเราในการสร้างสรรค์โครงการล่าสุด : หนังสือเด็กแทรชฮีโร่ หนังสือภาพอันสวยงาม เล่าเรื่องการต่อสู้ของเด็ก ผู้ได้ชื่อว่า “แทรชฮีโร่/ผู้พิชิตขยะ” ซึ่งอุทิศตนให้กับการช่วยเหลือเหล่าสิ่งมีชีวิตใต้ท้องทะเลให้หลบหนีจากขยะ และสถานการณ์อันเลวร้ายเมื่อขยะพลาสติกในมหาสมุทรเพิ่มขึ้นเรื่อย ๆ เขาได้รับการช่วยเหลือจากเพื่อน ๆ ในโรงเรียน ที่สัญญาว่าจะช่วยกันทำความสะอาดและลดการสร้างขยะ เพื่อให้งานของเขาง่ายขึ้น แต่แค่เพียงสอนเรื่องคุณธรรมนั้นอาจไม่พอ : หนังสือจึงท้าทายให้ผู้อ่านได้ลงมือทำจริงด้วย โดยมีกิจกรรมที่พวกเขาสามารถลงมือทำได้ เช่น การเก็บขยะ, การใช้ถุงหรือขวดน้ำที่ใช้แล้วใช้ซ้ำได้, หรือการสร้างมูลค่าเพิ่มให้เศษวัสดุต่าง ๆ เพื่อช่วย แทรชฮีโร่ และได้รับรางวัล เช่น เสื้อยืด และประกาศนียบัตร เพื่อบอกให้โลกรู้ว่า พวกเขาก็เป็น “แทรชฮีโร่/ผู้พิชิตขยะ” เช่นกัน หนังสือนี้จะแจกฟรีให้กับโรงเรียนและชุมชน โดยความร่วมมือของกลุ่มแทรชฮีโร่ทั่วประเทศ และกิจกรรมนั้นต้องทำซ้ำหลายครั้ง ก่อนจะได้รับรางวัล เพื่อกระตุ้นและสร้างแรงบันดาลใจให้เด็ก ๆ เปลี่ยนพฤติกรรม โดยได้รับการสนับสนุนและสรรเสริญจากชุมชนของพวกเขา เพื่อทำให้โครงการอันสำคัญนี้เกิดขึ้นได้ เราต้องการความช่วยเหลือจากคุณ! ในเบื้องต้นเราได้รับการสนับสนุนจากผู้ใหญ่ใจดี กล้วยน้ำไทมูลนิธิ ในการจัดพิมพ์หนังสือฉบับภาษาไทย แต่เรายังคงต้องการทำเสื้อยืดแจกให้แก่เด็ก ๆ

This month, UN spokesman for the UN’s Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric was granted a certificate of honorary citizenship to an area that hopes to become the world’s 196th nation – the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, or formally known today as The Trash Isles. He’ll join the ranks of other citizens like Al Gore (the first applicant)

This week, Malta hosted the annual EU-backed “Our Ocean 2017” conference to support measures to improve ocean health. This year’s discussion revolved heavily around the necessity to reduce plastic waste from entering the marine environment.Prince Charles of the UK delivered the opening speech urging for the movement away from a “throw-away, convenience lifestyle” that dumps

This week, Trash Hero Borneo was awarded recognition from Outward Bound Sabah for the chapter’s contribution and support toward Outward Bound’s nature conservation activities. Outward Bound is an international organization focused on changing lives through challenge and discovery. Its unique projects are driven to create a more resilient and compassionate world. Outward Bound Sabah invited

September 26 is World Environmental Health Day. In March, Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said that air pollution is a “major public health issue of our generation,” and that poor air quality affects more than 80% of the world’s population. While industrial carbon outputs, motor vehicle exhaust and coal emissions

This weekend was the International Coastal Cleanup, a global event organized by the Ocean Conservancy, and millions of volunteers worldwide took to the oceans and coastlines to remove waste. According to the Ocean Conservancy, plastic has been found in 62% of all sea birds and 100% of sea turtle species. The organization records what types

This year, the Trash Hero family has swelled to an amazing 42 chapters across nine countries – Thailand, Indonesia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, China, and the USA. More than 47,000 volunteers have removed 345,203 kilograms of trash from our oceans, waterways, roads, beaches and communities, and that number grows every single day through

Stephan, Claudia and Julia were on holiday on the Greek peninsula of Sithonia this summer. From a distance, the scenery was breathtaking – a lush green paradise flanked by crystal blue waters. But the isles face the same problem coastlines globally struggle with – an unmanageable influx of waste. When sharing his story with us,

Esther Thomet recently attended the National Geographic Student Expedition, a student travel program run through various locations around the world that aims to inspire and educate middle school and high school students. While in Tulamben in Northeastern Bali, a representative from Trash Hero introduced the student group to the organization before they took to the

The three day “Wonderfruit Festival Pattaya” is the biggest music- and arts festival in Thailand with a mission to “encourage, develop and innovate creative solutions for sustainable living and bring together a global community to celebrate them. We use our platform to catalyze creativity and make a meaningful, positive impact.” Alongside well-known musical acts, workshops,

As Trash Hero aims to change the behaviors that lead to unsustainable waste production, we strive to enable individuals and communities with the tools to do so. Many regions of the world, particularly in Southeast Asia, have experienced a rapid growth of tourism that has left the capacity of local trash management far behind. The

Putu Evie Suyadnyani is the co-founder of Trash Hero Kertalangu, a chapter of Trash Hero Indonesia. Evie and her husband have spent more than a decade dedicated to living responsibly and reducing plastic waste. Originally from Denpasar, Evie grew up on the beaches of Sanur and is acutely aware of the environmental problems of the

As we make our way through another successful summer, we want to pause to acknowledge some of the achievements and collaborations that have contributed to such a robust year to date. Trash Hero Indonesia is stronger than ever – and still growing! In May 2015, Gili Meno and its 172 heroes collected 1,000 kg of

Below, Trash Hero Trang shares their successes with using Ecobricks, in their effort to turn the plastic waste that we already have into indefinitely reusable building blocks. The idea behind an Ecobrick is simple: it’s a plastic bottle stuffed solid with non-biological waste to create a reusable building block. They keep plastic from entering the ecosystem

The story below is from Trash Hero Blanka Szecsenyi.  I met Trash Hero in Thailand in 2014. It was a beautiful holiday I took with my boyfriend while living in London. I thought it was just a leisurely activity, a free boat trip to join Trash Hero, but it became much more than that. I was

Trash Hero Koh Phangan in Thailand has been actively organizing beach, reef and jungle cleanups since its inception, and has successfully arranged partnerships and cooperative projects with other local organizations as well. Now local businesses are throwing in their support as well. Local businesses so often are at the forefront of our regional success stories,

GILI MENO, INDONESIA: MAY 2017- One Trash Hero was visiting Gili Meno in Lombok, Indonesia, and encountered a cleanup underway.  “If this is an indication of what Trash Hero can do, the world is in good shape.” The group of volunteers attracted attention from tourists, as well. “I saw at least a couple of tourists

BALI, INDONESIA – This fantastic video sponsored by the Danish Embassy Jakarta highlights the problem of trash in Bali. Bali, an island that relies on tourism for its economy and job market, is facing a monumental trash crisis. According to the video, almost everyday there are reports of marine life washed ashore with a belly full

MAY 21, 2017: YANGON, MYANMAR Trash Hero Myanmar Coordinator Phone Kyaw Moe Myint, who goes by Carl, tells the audience at TEDxYangon about the words that changed his life: “Become a Trash Hero.” The sailing champion has spent his life on the water, and admits that he hadn’t truly considered the problem of pollution very

16 June 2017 – Trash Hero Myanmar In its inaugural year, Phone Kyaw Moe Myint (Carl) led Trash Hero Myanmar to meet some impressive goals. The multiple Southeast Asian gold-medal winning sailor has had a lifelong love affair with his local Inya Lake, but now as a coach and mentor to Myanmar’s next generation of

6 May 2017 – Trash Hero Gili Meno (Indonesia) We are super happy to announce that two of our trash heroes from Trash Hero Gili Meno (Indonesia) have just gotten married. Supriyadi and Husnul Hatimah, on behalf of all of us at Trash Hero, CONGRATULATIONS! Wishing you all the best for a healthy and happy

9 March 2017 – Trash Hero Koh Samui Our friends of Trash Hero Koh Samui have just produced an awesome video showing how much fun goes into the activities they do. See it here. Keep up the good work guys!

8 March 2017 – Trash Hero World Tonight we had the honour of being invited to Swiss talk show “Aeschbacher”. Trash Hero (and one of our Founders) Roman Peter did a fantastic job in giving viewers a short introduction into the organisation… and found a fellow Trash Hero in the moderator, Swiss TV legend Kurt Aeschbacher. The

26 February 2017 – Trash Hero Ao Nang (Thailand) This months marks two important milestones for Trash Hero Ao Nang: In the first week they celebrated their two-year anniversary, and now they’ve just completed their 100th cleanup! In the words Seema, one of our most dedicated Trash Heros: “We have cleaned every week of those

9 February 2017 – Trash Hero Indonesia A few weeks ago, Trash Hero Indonesia volunteers received this message: “Hey Trash Hero, I need your help! My son, Alex, is incredibly concern with the trash on Bali and has truly taken it to heart. For some reason, he really wants a Beach Cleanup Party for his 7th birthday, which

24 January 2017 – Trash Hero Myanmar Watch a wonderful movie Trash Hero Myanmar made about their work here, or check a recent segment that was aired in the news here. Trash Heroes have been active in Myanmar since July 2016, when a first chapter was founded in Yangon, Myanmar. The movement has made headway quickly, with a further

23 January 2017 – Trash Hero Trang (Thailand) Trash Heroes from Trash Hero Trang (Thailand) have just made the news. Watch it here. Making us proud!  

20 January 2017 – Trash Hero Mandalay & Pyin Oo Lwin (Myanmar) Trash Hero Mandalay & Pyin Oo Lwin have created the most amazing video of their recent cleanup. Their work was supported by the Mayor of Mandalay and many local businesses, who -along with the dedicated organizers and volunteers- contributed to this success. See it

11 January 2017 – Trash Hero Thailand Trash Hero Thailand chapters Bangkok and Koh Samui are proud to have been able to connect with the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Together, we aim to reduce the use of plastic bags, bottles, and other waste, in order to protect our environment for future generations.

06 January 2017 – Trash Hero @Work Program Our recent launch of the Trash Hero @Work program has just been written about in a Swiss newspaper from Lucerne. Read it here. Trash Hero World’s @Work program creates a solid basis for reducing corporate and business waste to a minimum. In a first step, all office waste

03 January 2016 – Trash Hero Thailand Trash Hero Thailand has made it onto the news again, with a wonderful contribution aired on Thairath TV. See it here! Thairath TV covered Trash Hero Bangkok  (and a lot of our dedicated Trash Heroes from that chapter) and Trash Hero Thailand, and is a wonderful reference for the

03 January 2017 – Trash Hero Ban Krut  Trash Hero Ban Krut has just launched the Trash Hero bottle. One more location in Thailand that has now joined! Bottles can now be purchased for 200 Baht, and those with a bottle in hand can then get free refills at the water stations at the Siriphong Guesthouse  and

02 January 2017 – Trash Hero Chiang Mai Trash Hero Chiang Mai has been going strong since August 2015, and we just read this fantastic report Shayne Rochfort, one of the Trash Heroes from Chiang Mai: Have you had a great Trash Hero experience? I have. I have only done two of our Chiang Mai cleanups,

01 January 2016 – Trash Hero World Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and plastic-straw-free 2017! We feel humbled by the growth of this movement, and look forward to continuing on in 2017 to make our world a better place for next generations. Many thanks to our amazing Trash Hero Valérie Derbaudrenghien for this awesome little poster.

01 January 2017 – Trash Hero Indonesia Our dedicated volunteers of Trash Hero Indonesia have put together an amazing little video look back at the past year. See it here. Trash Hero Indonesia has made great strides, all thanks to a large team of dedicated volunteers. You guys rock!

18 December 2016 – Trash Hero Indonesia Trash Hero Indonesia has just been reported on in an extended segment on the Czech news: watch it here. Awesome team (led, among others, by longtime hero Jan Bares) doing awesome work!

18 December 2016 – Trash Hero Langkawi A team of 7 heroes didn’t collect any trash, but instead participated in a tree-planting event organised by Flag Langkawi (Friends of Langkawi Geopark). Flag had invited officials and people from a variety of organisations to join and plant mangroves on Pulau Dayang Bunting. A total of around 50

17 December 2016 – Trash Hero Word & GKS Architekten + Partner AG We have just launched the @Work program in cooperation with the architectural office GKS Architekten + Partner AG from Lucerne, Switzerland . The aim of the program is to reduce office waste to a minimum, and our project creates a solid basis

6 December 2016 – Trash Hero Thailand We are humbled by the thousands of Trash Heroes who have joined us over the years to clean during the past years. Every now and again however a hero (or heroine) stands out due to their commitment to the cause. Nattapong Nithi-Uthai from Trash Hero Pattani is one such

2 December 2016 – Trash Hero World We had the pleasure of meeting with the guys from Bye Bye Plastic Bags recently, and look forward to collaborating with them in the future. Bye Bye Plastic Bags started in Bali with the simple goal of ensuring that plastic bags are banned. They are now going global,

23/24 November 2016 – Trash Hero Indonesia Roman Peter just participated in the Trash to Treasure Seminar in Jakarta, Indonesia. Organized by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment (The Netherlands) in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Republic of Indonesia, and the Indonesian Waste Platform, the focus of this seminar was to discuss possibilities

21 November 2016 – Trash Hero Indonesia Chapters Trash Hero Indonesia has just added up all that they have accomplished: Altogether, the Indonesian chapters have cleaned up 36 Tons, creating and educating 6’250 people in the process. Trash Hero Indonesia is getting stronger and stronger. A huge thank you to all the chapters involved in this

20 November 2016 – Trash Hero World There is no way around it: We need to Break Free From Plastic. Today our team in Trash Hero Amed, Indonesia was saddened to find the above picture when they went to the beach. This is worse than what it usually is. Let’s all be a part of the

8 November 2016 – Trash Hero Thailand Wins Thailand Green Excellence Award We are delighted to announce that  Trash Hero Thailand has won the Thailand Green Excellence Award in the category “Outstanding Contribution to Green Tourism in Thailand”. Her Royal Highness Princess of Thailand Ubol Ratanarachakanya Siriwatanaphanwadi presented the prestigious awards during a memorable ceremony hosted

3 November 2016 – Trash Hero Shanghai Trash Hero World is now also in China… starting in Shanghai! Their first weekly cleanup just took place and many more will follow. We’re hoping that the movement will now spread out to many more locations in China!

October 17, 2016 – Trash Hero Langkawi (Malaysia) Celebrating One Year of Cleanups Happy Birthday Trash Hero Langkawi, Malaysia. In the past year 42 cleanups have taken place, during which a total of 780 people volunteered to help and picked up 12’217 kg of trash. Most importantly, many wonderful connections were made and a lot of young people could

8 October 2016 – New Collaboration with OceanCare Our latest collaboration is with the amazing people from OceanCare. The organization has been committed to marine wildlife protection since 1989. Through research and conservation projects, campaigns, environmental education, and involvement in a range of important international committees, OceanCare undertakes concrete steps to improve the situation for wildlife in

10 October 2016 – Trash Hero Portraits on Show The Atelier Wasserart in Dettenheim (Germany) is a place dedicated to all things surrounding water. The Atelier is currently showcasing stories of Trash Heroes from all around the world, in the hopes that visitors will go away determined to reduce their own consumption of plastics.

September 26, 2016 – Trash Hero Myanmar Trash Hero Myanmar cleaned Ngwe Saung with 380 people and collected a total of 3’900 kg of trash. The organisers are hoping to start various cleanups in the country. All photos and recent information on cleanups can be found on their Facebook page here.

September 26, 2016 – Trash Hero China in the making? Constance is 9 years old and lives in China. Together with her mother, she recently cleaned up on the Great Wall of China. Her inspiration had been the pictures of weekly cleanups coming from Trash Hero Hua Hin (Thailand), and she therefore decided to do the

27 September 2016 – Trash Hero Langkawi (Malaysia) Trash Hero Langkawi (Malaysia) has just been covered in a segment on the radio. Listen to it here.

September 26, 2016 – Trash Hero Amed, Indonesia Another project we discussed in our newsletter to sponsors released this week is the community waste management that Trash Hero World supported with 1’200 USD in Amed, Indonesia. Historically, in small and rural communities trash and other waste is burned – but this system is no longer viable in

September 26, 2016 – Trash Hero Indonesia A third project Trash Hero World communicated to its donors was the T-Shirts that were purchased for Trash Hero Indonesia, which cost USD 1’500. Before communities can be properly educated about the importance of waste management and recycling, awareness must already be there. 6 Trash Hero chapters (Komodo, Amed, Sanur,

September 26, 2016 – Trash Hero World As we wrap up 2016, we wanted to reflect on the considerable progress made this year. This success was made possible by the many volunteers who help every week and by the generosity of donors. The world’s mounting waste problem threatens public health, pollutes the environment and impairs

14 September 2016 – Trash Hero World Trash Hero World is proud to be among a group of 90 NGOs, who just laid out a groundbreaking new global vision for a future free from plastic pollution. The vision lays out 10 principles. This represents the first step in a global movement to change society’s perception and use of

10 September 2016 – Trash Hero World Trash Hero World is proud to have been asked, along with 5 other global organisations, to co-sign a letter to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Read the letter here. This honour is the result of our ongoing friendship with Let’s Do It World . Roman Peter attended their Leaders

13 August 2016 – Trash Hero Ban Krut On the occasion of Ban Krut’s celebration for the Queens Birthday, Trash Hero Ban Krut won an award for doing something sustainable for it’s community. The official statement reads: “Ban Krut municipality proudly presents to Trash Hero Ban Krut our recognition for conducting good deeds example an setting

15 June 2016 – Trash Hero Bangkok During our first cleanup in Bangkok just recently some of our Trash Heroes took to the water and collected trash while on standup paddle boards. How awesome is that?

Our Hero Kayla Staples recently wrote this excellent article about the growing Trash Hero World movement: Trash Hero began with a group of like-minded individuals organising a weekly beach clean up, and now, just two years later, what started as Trash Hero Thailand, has grown to Trash Hero Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Czech Republic, upcoming chapters in New

11 June 2016 – Trash Hero Bangkok (Thailand) The new Trash Hero World chapter in  Bangkok has just been written about in the Bangkok Post: read it here. We think that “Bash the Trash” is likely the catchiest title we’ll ever get in an article 🙂  

Meaning “Protect Nature” in Indonesian, Peduli Alam was created in 2008 by French citizens and Bali lovers Charlotte Fredouille and Laetitia Girouxas  as an NGO specialising in waste management and collection in Amed, on Bali’s beautiful East coast. Among its many activities, the organisation organises awareness campaigns at schools and villages educating about waste management. The Balinese

01 June, 2016 – Trash Hero Pattani (Thailand) Trash Hero Pattani have just completed their “Clean Up #12”, and have broken various records doing so. First off, 140 (yes, that’s one-hundred-and-forty!) Trash Heroes showed up: 5 from the governor team, 15 heroes, and 120 from from มหาวิทยาลัยสงขลานครินทร์ (the Prince of Songkhla University). For this cleanup, they went

23 May 2016 – Trash Hero Amed (Indonesia) Happy Birthday Trash Hero Amed! This Indonesian chapter just celebrated their 52nd beach cleanup. 49 volunteers joined for this anniversary beach cleanup, gathering 103 kg of trash on the beach of Pupuan (better known as Bunutan). Music was playing while they sorted trash, deciding what to keep for

We only recently announced a new partnership with Coboat, the awesome co-working space on a huge catamaran. They’ve already been busy doing cleanups when not aboard the vessel, and just completed a cleanup on Koh Phi Phi Leh. Random finds they reported included a bike helmet and winter gloves, and altogether they filled 30 bags

We are thrilled to announce a collaboration with the non-profit organization Coboat. Their belief is that being on the ocean creates an environment where people open their eyes to new possibilities. They disrupt the traditional work space by moving it to a boat, offering a coworking space on a catamaran that travels the world. Participants can

Trash Hero Koh Lanta just took part in the 3-day Laanta Lanta Festival and it was amazing!  Many people joined to discuss the island and the amount of trash they notice both there and in other environments. The organizers experimented with paper dishes, which didn’t turn out to be as successful as they had hoped, since people

30 January 2016 – Trash Hero Koh Lanta 39 people from 11 countries participated in the first Trash Hero Koh Lanta cleanup today! What a gift to have so many volunteers present for two hours, while we cleaned parts of Long Beach and the park. Overall, we collected 30 bags of various trash plus 3 big bags of recyclables… 150 kg in

23 January 2016 We are pleased to announce the 1st cleanup organized by Trash Hero Ko Siboya. A total of 65 people showed up and cleaned beaches and surrounding areas, and the plan is to meet on the first Monday of every month at 9.30 am in front of the restaurant of Siboya Bungalows. Who will

03 January 2016 From our Trash Hero Ao Nang chapter: What a year! It’s been an incredible journey, starting with a few black bags and a desire for change. Along the way, with the simple mission of a weekly beach cleanup, we have spread the message to local people, businesses, schools and government. The beach

26 September 2015 – Trash Hero Sanur volunteers, alongside The Green Team Sanur, held a presentation at the University of Environment, Culture and Heritage Faculty in Bali, Indonesia today.  Their aim is to spread awareness about environmental issues, in particular the problems with trash. Informing the local community about this very real situation affecting the islands of Thailand, Indonesia, Bali and Philippines is

25 August 2015 – We are thrilled to announce that Trash Hero Thailand has received a very prestigious award from the Protection Area Regional Office 5 of Thailand’s National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Department. The inscription on the plaque, which was presented by Region 5 Director Mr. Jirasak Chukwamdee, reads: The Protected Area Regional

10 August 2015 – Trash Hero is going global: We’re delighted that there are now 8 (eight) chapters in Thailand, and 3 (three) in Indonesia. Weekly cleanups all over the place… let’s keep this up!

4 November 2014 – We are thrilled to announce that we have won a “Highly Commended” award of the Thai Green Excellence Awards. These awards are intended to highlight and further promote Thailand’s dedication to the conservation of the country’s precious natural and cultural resources, and support sustainable tourism development. The awards were presented by Her Royal

14 September 2014 – We gave this sweet little crab a new home!