collaboration | Trash Hero World

Trash Hero submits proposal for the Global Plastics Treaty to UN Environmental Programme

by Lydia on 15/01/2023 No comments

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 for dealing with plastic pollution in all environments. Drafted by their policy experts, its key objectives focus on the removal of unnecessary plastics that jeopardise the environment, while ensuring that the planet and its inhabitants are protected. Control measures should cover each stage of the plastic lifecycle – from raw material extraction to product production, waste management, and leakage into the environment. Some of the recommendations include stopping harmful chemicals and plastics, reducing the use of virgin materials and transitioning to a circular economy.

As stated by the UN Special Rapporteur, a human-rights-based approach must be adopted in the management of reducing global plastics. This means ensuring social justice for waste pickers and other workers in the global plastics value chain and environmental justice for communities that have been unfairly impacted by plastic pollution.

Trash Hero World was granted formal consultative status at the United Nations Environmental Assembly in March 2022. As an official observer, we are now among 500+ NGOs globally that can give input to policy discussions and participate in the UNEA sessions and those of its subsidiary bodies. Our proposal is one among around 200 that are publicly available on the UNEP website (under the “Pre-Session Submissions” tab). These proposals will be reviewed for inclusion in the official documentation provided to the negotiating committee at the INC-2 summit in Paris in May this year.

In November 2022, the five-year Brand Audit Report was submitted to the INC-1. Trash Hero was a major contributor of data to the study.

Using our platform to advocate for the reduction of plastic production and the adoption of zero waste systems is an important part of our ongoing commitment to “act local but think global”. By engaging with UNEP, and other key stakeholders, we hope to drive change and create a cleaner and more equitable world for future generations. We are proud to work alongside Break Free From Plastic in this goal.

Trash Hero World joined the Break Free From Plastic movement in 2018. Since then, we have collaborated on several important projects that aim to reduce plastic pollution worldwide, including being a top contributor to data in their annual Brand Audit reports.

Trash Heroes in Myanmar Integral to Nation’s Ambitions for a Sustainable Future

by Leslie Finlay on 05/06/2019 1 comment

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.

Trash Hero Myanmar Updates President U Win Myint on the year’s project successes

Addressing more than 400 stakeholders representing state and regional ministries, academic institutions, businesses, and special interest groups, the President urged the Burmese people to look at their own relationships with waste in their everyday lives. His message mirrored the spirit of the Trash Hero mission: that lasting, high-level change occurs from collective adjustments to our mindset and behaviours.

The President’s message is supported by a record of growing public action and awareness against waste. Myanmar’s first Trash Hero community clean was organized in Yangon in July 2016, coordinating 135 volunteers who collected more than 400 kg of rubbish. Today, Trash Hero Myanmar has expanded to 10 national chapters, who together have collected 46,517 kilograms of trash with the help of almost 17,000 volunteers – more than 5,000 of which are children.

The President’s support for movements like Trash Hero is predicated on a national ambition to develop the country as a climate-resilient, low-carbon, low-waste society.

Trash Hero Myanmar has grown quickly with 10 national chapters actively reducing the waste problem in their communities

He announced two new policies that recognize the increasing threat of extreme weather and other climate change impacts this economic and social development. These policies – called the National Environmental Policy and the Myanmar Climate Change Policy – recognize the need for collaboration among ministries, civil society, businesses, and academia. But the President also highlights the importance of public participation – through initiatives like Trash Hero – to establish a sustainable national mindset.

“I would like to urge Myanmar citizens, including all of you, to participate for the current and future sustainable development of our country by changing your daily lifestyles in order to support environmental conservation,” he said while addressing participants at the World Environment Day event.

The Heroes of Trash Hero Myanmar in Action!

Trash Hero Alex’s Birthday

by Amelia Meier on 09/02/2017 No comments

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 is on February 2. His exact words were “On my 7th birthday, I want to go to the beach and find a big table with all the things we need. I want to get many strangers to come, and we can then tell tell them what to do to clean the beach” We all want to make this happen, and are hoping that you guys can help. I want to make this event public and make my Alex’ dream come true. Please let me know if you can be a part of this. Thank you”

Hélène and the other volunteers of Trash Hero Indonesia immediately got on board and assisted wherever possible. Alex’ mom did an amazing job at making the event known to the public and inviting people, and last Sunday they all gathered at the beach in Canggu and enjoyed a cleanup and some real birthday fun.

Alex has since gone on to be a regular hero, as you can see here. How awesome is it that young Alex is already infected with the Trash Hero virus?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX, AND ALL THE BEST FOR YOUR TRASH-FREE FUTURE!

@Work Program in the (Swiss) News

by Amelia Meier on 06/01/2017 No comments

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 on an average day is analysed in detail. One by one, steps are then taken to reduce waste to a minimum. Employees might all commit to using our stainless steel bottles, or use their own containers to pick up their lunches. Slowly but surely, employees can move towards implementing a zero waste philosophy and can see how small changes make a big difference.

Planting Mangroves on Langkawi

by Amelia Meier on 18/12/2016 No comments

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 people and representatives from the local authority (LADA) met at the pier and enjoyed a few talks on the importance of mangroves for maintaining the environment. Afterwards, shoes were removed and the volunteers dug holes in the mud and added seeds. In many areas that mud was knee-deep, so staying clean wasn’t an option.According to officials, a total of 1000 plants were planted. A huge success, and so much fun!

Launch of Trash Hero @Work Program

by Amelia Meier on 17/12/2016 No comments

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 for this. The 50 employees of the awesome architectural office GKS Architekten + Partner rang in a new era by committing themselves to the zero-waste philosophy, and will be doing everything they can to reduce their internal waste.

In a first step, team members examined the trash they as a company were producing daily. They estimated that they were using 2,600 disposable plastic dishes, 3,200 glas bottles, and around one ton of paper per year. Since this company takes corporate social responsibility seriously, they are all wenn under way to going zero waste: they will be avoiding trash wherever possible, strictly separating, and will try to use recyclable materials. To eliminate drinking bottles every GKS employee received a personalised Trash Hero bottle made of stainless steel as a Christmas present.

We are grateful for this amazing collaboration with GKS! Other corporations have already voiced interest as well, and we hope to inspire many more businesses to implement sustainable changes in the future! Read the full press release here.

Bye Bye Plastic Bags MEETS Trash Hero World

by Amelia Meier on 02/12/2016 No comments

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, and we look forward to partnering with them. Stay tuned!

Trash to Treasure Seminar in Jakarta

by Amelia Meier on 26/11/2016 No comments

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 for reducing the influx of waste to our environment, explore solutions on reduction of single-use packaging and alternative packing materials, and to establish partnerships on reaching these goals.

Waste is a global problem: The current scale of contamination of the marine environment by plastic and synthetic debris is vast and poses a serious threat to our environment, health and wildlife. With an expected world population growth of 9.7 billion people by 2050 and ever increasing levels of consumption, the need for addressing waste, litter and marine debris is becoming more and more urgent. Tackling the complex issue of waste management and the Marine Debris problem in Indonesia is challenge for all involved: Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, located in the tropics and the equator is traversed by extensive sea. The sea area of Indonesia covers over 70% of the entire territory of Indonesia and has as many as 17,504 islands.

Most participants agreed that to establish an (economically) efficient system for reducing waste, all stakeholders should be included in future strategies. There should be a holistic approach. For example: decision makers should be informed and educated about recycling strategies and there should be a strong and determined political will to act. Businesses should be offered incentives to recycle and produce ‘green’ products and the entire public must be educated on how to participate in recycling and waste reduction. NGO’s involved in recycling and waste reduction should be encourage and supported. Many suggestions were made on how to improve the recycling system in Indonesia. All agreed that the current recycling system in Indonesia is lacking. Recycling 3 centres, equipment and technology need to be improved and they need to be made more widely available. It was suggested to start by having recycling centres in all major cities in the country but that in general all districts and sub-districts should be included in a general plan if the aim is maximum waste reduction and recycling.

A big part of discussion was education. All agreed that education plays a pivotal role in the reduction of waste. All members of society should be educated, not only children in school. For example, government officials need to be informed about recycling strategies and waste management in general if they want to create an efficient waste management plan and policies concerning waste. Within formal education a campaign should be started that includes ALL schools. This campaign should focus on the impacts of waste, specifically the impact of waste on health and hygiene. Teachers should also be trained since their behaviour influences their pupils. Within port settings fishermen, port workers and management should be educated on waste. To educate people in general the media and large-scale events can be mobilised because of their educational value. The power of media on public opinion should be harnessed in the mission to change people’s way of thinking about waste. Educational programs on waste for television can be created and producers can be supported/subsidised by the government. Media should be encouraged to report on waste issues. The importance of the role of businesses in reducing waste was also discussed and all agreed that future policy and enforcement needs to be formulated and increased. Some more ideas and suggestions: There should be incentives in place for businesses that engage in recycling and production using recycled materials. Going green should be profitable. There should be policy on the waste-management of businesses, etc. In general, producers should be held accountable for their actions concerning the environment. There should be strict policies and enforcement which are focused on the move towards a blue\circular economy: Energy should not be subsidised but optimised, production needs to become cleaner, remaining waste needs to be recycled, etc. All agreed that it was necessary to start establishing real action plans to deal with the influx of waste in Indonesia. For the health of its citizens, the environment and the economy (creation of jobs, tourism, etc).

Trash Hero Indonesia Chapters Rock

by Amelia Meier on 21/11/2016 No comments

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 of waste, 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 amazing effort: Amed, Sanur, Gili Meno, Ubud, Candidasa, Komodo, and Canggu. You guys rock!

Happy Birthday Trash Hero Langkawi

by Amelia Meier on 17/10/2016 2 comments

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 be reached in order to educate them about littering, burning trash, and how our daily lives affect this planet we live on.

All photos of the birthday event can be viewed here.