Trash Hero Czech Republic | Trash Hero World

Group of volunteers smiling at the camera. ll are wearing Trash Hero -shirts

Our Impact up to 31st December 2022

by Lydia on 15/02/2023 2 comments

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, our movement has mobilised 466,578 volunteers, 120,673 of whom were under 16! We are passionate about including a wide range of people in our activities, and we celebrate this diversity as much as possible.

Being a Trash Hero also means taking regular action against plastic pollution. In 2022 alone, Trash Hero volunteers organised 3,296 cleanups – an average of 9 cleanups a day and 45 kgs per event! This brings our total number of cleanups since 2013 to an incredible 18,206, removing a total of 2,302,862 kgs of trash

We help people reduce single-use plastic through our refill and reuse programmes. To date, we have distributed 106,188 reusable water bottles through our partner network, which includes 673 points where people can refill their bottle for free. This has prevented an incredible 38,8 million single-use plastic bottles from being used and has reduced 2017.572 tonnes of CO2 emissions. We have also distributed 29,520 reusable Trash Hero bags, preventing the use of 10.8 million single-use plastic bags

Trash Hero is also committed to inspiring a new generation of activists! Our dedicated kids programme, which began in 2018, has helped 23,330 kids build sustainable habits. This is done through our story and activities book

As well as hands-on action within communities, Trash Hero is committed to collecting data that can be used to influence policy change on plastic. Trash Heroes have conducted 402 brand audits that have been included in reports holding corporate polluters responsible. These reports have been submitted to the UN negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty.

But it’s not just about the numbers. Being a Trash Hero means that we feel connected with your fellow volunteers, we are motivated to create change and we are thankful to everyone who supports and contributes to our movement.

And most of all, it means that we are family!

Thank you to all of our volunteers who have been part of the incredible impact that we have had. We can’t wait to see what 2023 brings!

We have been collecting data since December 2013; as of 31st December 2022 these are our numbers!

18,206 cleanups
139 active chapters in 17 countries
466,578 volunteers, including 120,673 under 16s
Responsibly collected and disposed of 2,302,862 kg of trash
As part of the Trash Hero Bottle program, 106,188 reusable bottles have been distributed, avoiding 38.8 million single-use plastic bottles and reducing 2,107 tonnes of CO2 emissions
As part of the Trash Hero Bag program, 29,520 reusable Trash Hero bags have been distributed, saving 10.8 million single-use plastic bags

Do you want to be part of a movement that is dedicated to creating change? Trash Hero cleanups are open for everyone to join – no cost, no sign-up, just show up! Find your nearest chapter here.

Our first in-person training event in Europe

by Lydia on 28/09/2022 2 comments

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 the Trash Hero Czech Republic team who did an amazing job of finding a unique location and organising activities that helped the participants bond whilst connecting with nature.

Family Meetings are volunteer training and team-building events that are held in our major countries of operation. At the meetings, we celebrate chapters’ achievements and share knowledge on a range of topics that benefit Trash Hero chapters and their wider communities. This includes zero waste training, brand audit training and much more.

We also had space for informal discussions and fun activities such as cooking together and volunteering at a local nature reserve. These resulted in some lively discussions, lots of laughter and some great memories being made.

Over the course of the three days in the Czech Republic, we had presentations and activities that centred on motivation, leadership skills, the big picture of waste and community outreach..

As the first event of its kind in Europe, for many of our volunteers, it was the first time meeting other Trash Heroes in person! This provided a fantastic opportunity for these Trash Hero volunteers to build friendships and support systems – something that is vital in the work that we do. It’s particularly important for those volunteers in countries with fewer Trash Hero chapters to remember they are not alone in what they do.

I personally found my motivation again after the Trash Hero family meeting and [am] looking forward to the next time. I was really demotivated and now, we start again with new power
Sibil, Trash Hero Winterthur

We continue to support all our Trash Hero chapter leaders with regular global calls and workshops – although nothing quite matches the energy of in-person meetings and we can’t wait for the next one next year!

183 participants from 80 chapters join Family Meetings in May

by Lydia on 23/06/2022 2 comments

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 the wider Trash Hero mission.

It's great to know how people or companies contributing to pollution are distracting out minds, to know how to achieve our goals and know the extent of the situation or problem in each chapter. In addition, the whole meeting is very good for refreshing the slack spirit' - Mr Con, Trash Hero Tuaran, Malaysia, Mary 2022

Two trash heros at the meeting, one with a laptop the other smiling

Pre-pandemic they were held in person in our major countries of operation: Czech Republic, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Switzerland and Thailand.

In 2020 and 2021 we moved these meetings online, which allowed us to reach volunteers in other countries that had never previously attended a family meeting. They saw fantastic levels of attendance with 276 people in 18 different countries attending a series of online meetings in 2020. In 2021, 174 people from 15 different countries joined the Trash Hero global meeting, and Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Switzerland hosted their own Family Meetings. These meetings helped to keep our movement vibrant during a challenging period, but nothing could match the energy of in person discussion and interaction.

'It helped me develop my understanding of the essential meanings of Trash Hero - the importance of building consistency, commitment in doing an action and inspiring people while staying humble. The word "family" in “family meeting” showed its true meaning. We have never met, but it felt like we are old close friends, having fun without being awkward.' - Rara, Trash Hero Muba, Indonesia May 2022

Once restrictions eased, many chapters held their own Chapter Family Meetings which allowed them to build their local teams and address the particular issues they face in their communities.

Then, finally in May, we were able to plan and host a full series of face-to-face meetings with our volunteers in Svatý Jan pod Skalou, Czech Republic (13 – 15th), Batu Buruk, Malaysia (13-15th), Bali, Indonesia (20 – 22nd) and Chumpon, Thailand (27 – 29th).

After reviewing feedback from past Family Meetings, and from our own experience of our 2020-21 zero waste training, this year in Asia we aimed to increase the levels of interaction within the meeting – facilitating more discussions and increasing knowledge sharing.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to plan together with team members, in order to properly divide tasks and have people help each other – [it] makes the job a lot more fun and easier.”

Nan – Trash Hero Ao Nang, Thailand

The meetings started with introductions: after 2 and a half years there were some new faces joining us! It was fantastic to finally meet people in person who we had previously only met on a screen.

Then it was time to get to work! We explored our values as a movement, cleanup organisation, strategic planning, social media best practices, brand audits and the big picture of waste. The volunteers got to know Trash Hero World and the work we do globally and there were also sessions where they could share their experiences of delivering programmes on the ground. This provides essential input that helps to shape the way in which we work and our activities moving forward.

'The meeting was an inspiration. I made new friends sharing the same values. I received a lot of new knowledge and solved problems that had been weighing on me' - Chan, Trash Hero Patong, Thailand. May 2022

One of the most popular workshops was strategic planning, guiding the leaders through ways to increase the influence of their chapters and how to get more people involved. This started with a presentation, then a session to put their knowledge into practice and create a long-term plan. We encouraged the chapter leaders to assess their current situation, set goals and create a step-by-step plan for achieving their aims.

As well as being an opportunity to share knowledge, the Family Meetings help our volunteers form connections with each other – creating a fantastic network of support and ideas. The friendships formed at the events last far beyond the three days spent together.

Each Family Meeting was organised as a zero waste event. People who attended brought their own reusable water bottles, or there were glasses for use, and refill stations were readily available. All food and drink was served with reusable tableware and snacks were wrapped in banana leaves. Across the 4 events we had 183 participants from 80 chapters. This means, based on a conservative estimate of each participant having 2 water refills a day, at least 1,098 single-use plastic bottles were prevented from being used.

In Czech Republic, the meeting was held in an idyllic location just outside of Prague. The team listened to lectures from guest speakers, discussed ideas and visited the Bohemian Karst Protected Landscape Area. From their guide, Pavel Skala, who joined the Family Meeting as a representative of the Třesina association, they learned about local butterflies. Other guest speakers were Martin Trávníček from the Pestré Polabí association and Arthur F Sniegon from the non-profit organisation Save Elephant. It was also great to see a large number of the volunteers at the Family Meeting were Trash Hero Kids!

'We were so happy to see each other and we all agreed it was the best Family Meeting so far' - Monika, Trash Hero Czech Republic. May 2022

The feedback we received and the knowledge we gained during the events help us create a stronger global Trash Hero Family and will be used to shape our programmes as we continue our fight against plastic waste.

Malaysia: 27 Participants, 13 Chapters

Czech Republic: 35 Participants, 8 Chapters

Indonesia: 88 Participants, 45 Chapters

Thailand: 33 Participants, 15 Chapters

“I increased my knowledge about how polluted and how threatened planet Earth is. The most important thing for me from this meeting is how honest and transparent financial management is in THI and THW. I also felt the family atmosphere that is so close between the participants.”

Arnold – Trash Hero Nagekeo, Indonesia

By providing refill stations at our family meetings we prevented 1,098 plastic bottles from being used in just 3 days

Making the line a circle

by Seema on 01/03/2022 No comments

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 system which would massively improve recycling rates and support the introduction of reusable containers. Trash Hero Czech Republic chapters have been providing the campaign with data from their cleanups to show how many bottles and cans are currently ending up in nature.

In Europe, 12 countries already have such a system. We hope Czech Republic will be next!

Trash Hero Czech Republic invited to the House of Representatives!

by Monika on 16/01/2020 No comments

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, a round table discussion on this subject took place in the Houses of Parliament and Trash Hero Czech Republic were invited to contribute.

The debate was initiated two years ago by the sparkling water company, Mattoni (owned by Pepsico), who called for a study into the need for a deposit system. Research was carried out by INCIEN (Institute for Circular Economy), VŠCHT (University of Chemistry and Technologies) and Eunomia (Consultant Agency of European Committee). Their findings showed that a deposit system would be more cost-effective and have a better impact on the environment than the existing waste management system.

However, it is not only scientists, ecologists, environmental NGOs and mayors of smaller towns who would like to have a deposit system in place. Interestingly, the biggest push – as evidenced by the Mattoni study – comes from soda and beer producers themselves. Even the representative of Coca-Cola in Czech Republic came out in favour of a deposit system at the meeting.

The main opponents of a deposit system are waste management companies. They claim that there is no need for it; we can instead improve the capabilities of our existing waste management to meet EU targets of 90% plastic separation by 2035.

While the Czech Ministry of Environment is not completely opposed to a deposit system, it does not see it as a priority in the next few years. They stated they would rather make improvements to the current infrastructure, as suggested by the waste management companies, and put higher taxes on non-recyclable materials to motivate producers to use recyclable ones.

There were only two points that everybody seemingly agreed on:

1) More data and analysis is needed to understand the possible impact of either introducing the deposit system or improving existing waste separation

2) Any deposit system introduced should put a deposit not only on PET bottles and cans, but also on other packaging, e.g. TetraPak, coffee cups, batteries, with the possibility of extending to consumer electronics such as mobile phones.

The Trash Hero representative, Jan Bareš, spoke towards the end of the discussion. His main point was that regardless of the different motivations and intentions of the people at the table, we all share the same planet and should work together to keep the nature clean. Since Trash Hero Czech Republic volunteers pick up many PET bottles and cans, there is clearly space for improvement. He also stated that the ultimate goal should not be a higher rate of recycling but preventing the trash in the first place. To reach this goal, we should focus on redesigning the products to be reusable and also by educating people that packaging materials have value. The deposit system could be great tool for that.

So what conclusion did we reach? Although there was no definitive outcome of the meeting, we are encouraged that the debate is taking place and that there is an open discussion between all stakeholders. We are also encouraged by the response Trash Hero received from those present: ours was the only speech during the two hour session that got applause!

The Czech national and local government, beverage companies and waste managment companies now know that Trash Heroes are out there, they are watching and they could be a useful partner, whether providing advice, data or support. As they say, “watch this space…”

Almost 200 volunteers join Trash Hero Family Meetings

by Seema on 11/12/2019 No comments

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 Hero World. The three-day events are held in key countries in Southeast Asia and Europe, where we have a concentration of active chapters. Volunteers are invited to attend, free of charge, to receive training and education, as well as exchange knowledge and ideas with others in their country.

At the recent round of meetings in Oct – Nov 2019, we were able to train 197 volunteers from 95 different chapters. The breakdown by country can be seen below:

Trash Hero Myanmar | 4 – 6 October 2019 in Ngapali

Volunteers trained: 13
Chapters: 7
Many thanks to our sponsors:
– Yoma Cherry Lodge & Mummy Sue: food and tea breaks
– Vera Thomson English School: free meeting room

Trash Hero Indonesia | 11 – 13 October 2019 in Bali

Volunteers trained: 80
Chapters: 40
Many thanks to our sponsors:
– Baliwoso: discounted accommodation
– Paguyuban Saba Driver: discounted transportation
– I Nyoman Parta (Member of People’s Representative Council of Indonesian Republic – Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Republik Indonesia)

Trash Hero Thailand | 19 – 21 October in Bangkok

Volunteers trained: 60
Chapters: 22
Many thanks to our sponsor:
– Ban Nam Pheung Homestay: free meeting room

Trash Hero Malaysia | 25 – 27 October in Mersing

Volunteers trained: 26
Chapters: 17
Many thanks to our sponsors:
– Mohd Faisial Abdul Rani & family: free accommodation / 2 houses
– Majlis Daerah Mersing (Mersing District Council): free meeting room and food
– Sustainable Business Network Association, Malaysia: 2000 MYR cash donation used for other food and transportation costs.

Trash Hero Czech Republic | 8 – 10 November in Prague

Volunteers trained: 18
Chapters: 9
Many thanks to our sponsor:
– Kavárna co hledá jméno : free meeting room

Special mention to Reisebüro Feriezyt, who regularly provide discounted travel for Trash Hero World.

We would also like to thank our volunteers who planned and organised each event; the speakers and workshop leaders who also gave their time for free; and our supporters, whose donations enable us to hold these important meetings twice a year. The total cost for all meetings came to US$27,700, or around US$140 per participant.

Together with these ~200 volunteers who joined (some on their days of annual leave), we were able to strengthen our community base, reinforce quality standards and empower new leaders for the expanding Trash Hero movement around the globe.

The Czech Trash Hero family meets for the first time

by Monika on 10/06/2019 No comments

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 Hero Hradec Králové.

The agenda covered a number of different topics such as the formation and history of the Trash Hero movement, operation of Trash Hero World and how Trash Hero Czech Republic fits into the world network. We discussed ethical values, what we consider as volunteering and its philosophy in detail. Vast amounts of time were dedicated to how to effectively organise clean ups – in order to cover health and safety issues, management of volunteering and event promotion. Particular chapters received training on Facebook (how to efficiently use and maintain Facebook pages) and communication with the media.

During the last day of our stay we had a cleanup in the city of Jihlava, where our meeting was held. The event was public and we had some locals joining us for the clean up.

A number of real outcomes were achieved:
-> Establishment of a new chapter – Trash Hero Jihlava
-> Creation of a methodology (curriculum) for presenting Trash Hero at all education levels (from kindergarten to university)
-> Facebook campaign “Yellow Tips” to roll out in July 2019 – a guide to reduce waste and single use plastic whilst shopping

However, the biggest value of this meeting was in strengthening the network of Trash Hero chapters across the Czech Republic and making them more involved in Trash Hero activities on a national level.