Clean Up - Campaigns 2023

We reported on this in our newsletter on 20 April 2023: Waste that is not disposed of properly, but simply thrown into nature, pollutes the environment - such as the soil - and endangers our wildlife. For this reason, we have encouraged our employees to get together and organise a clean-up at their premises.

Over the last few weeks, four clean-ups have taken place in Cologne, Passau, Heidelberg and Neu-Isenburg.

The clean-ups from my point of view:

I have seen several pictures of clean ups where six or more full and large bags were collected. I don't know where it was or how many days it was collected, but I can tell you this much: it wasn't at our collection points. We hardly found anything in Cologne and Passau.

In Cologne - near Decksteiner Weiher - we had found a construction made of tyres and a tree trunk that we weren't sure whether it was rubbish or a work of art. We left it there because we didn't want the newspaper to say the next day: "Hooligans destroy a valued work of art."... 😉

In Passau - near Hals - there wasn't much for us to collect along the Ilz. Instead, we were able to discover frogs and small fish and enjoy a wonderful day in the sunshine.

In Heidelberg - at the Thingstätte - this place is apparently often visited by lovers or wedding couples celebrating their love. Basically a romantic idea that I can understand. Unfortunately, the floor was littered with countless smaller and larger round pieces of tinsel in some places. This narcissistic ignorance made me sad. After all, it is possible to experience a beautiful moment without polluting your environment.

In Neu Isenburg - at the Oberscheinstiege - there was a larger and heavier find: part of a washbasin perhaps - certainly a lump of ceramic. But in my memory, the forest remains a dog paradise with owners who didn't quite understand the concept of dog waste bags: they put their dog's droppings in plastic bags and then just left them in the countryside...

Conclusion

All in all, it was always a pleasant shared experience that was perfectly rounded off by the activities afterwards - such as the escape room or going out to eat. Another positive aspect was the realisation that there is not as much rubbish lying around in nature as I had initially assumed - or did we not hit the right places? I felt the activity was an important contribution, because no matter how small a piece of rubbish is, it can potentially release toxins into nature or be fatal to an animal, either because it eats the rubbish or gets caught or injured in it.

If we can find an opportunity to organise Clean Ups again next year, I would be delighted!

I wonder whether it is now practical to always take a bit of rubbish with you when you go hiking or walking in the countryside.
Of course, it wouldn't be sustainable to buy a roll of rubbish bags specifically for this purpose. Then it occurred to me that you (unfortunately) always have leftover plastic or paper (packaging) bags when you go shopping. Instead of throwing them away immediately, you can use them to pick up 3 or 4 items from the floor and transport them to the nearest rubbish bin. You should also have a glove with you for such purposes. What do you think? Can you imagine trying this out? I still have a few washable gloves from the Clean Ups that I would be happy to pass on. Just let me know 🙂

Finally, I would like to mention that everyone who took part will be entered into the prize draw in October. The winner will be able to choose a pair of Antonio Verde glasses: https://www.avocadostore.de/brands/antonio-verde