Ecosystem Cleanup Events

As part of PLANET 2024, over a hundred ecosystem cleanups (trash collection on beaches, in forests, mountains, and urban areas) will be organized worldwide. It’s time to act for our planet, and every action counts. Trash collection is not only a concrete way to help nature, it’s also a powerful means to raise awareness about the importance of preserving our environment.

Throughout 2024, in collaboration with our partners, numerous cleanup sessions will be held. These events will bring together volunteers for a full or half-day of waste collection in various locations. More than just a cleanup, it’s a citizens’ movement aimed at preserving nature and contributing to its restoration.

Nature cleanup initiatives, whether they take place in urban areas, forests, beaches, or mountains, have an immediate and long-term positive impact on our environment. At first glance, these initiatives help remove waste that pollutes our ecosystems, thereby protecting local fauna and flora from their harmful impact. Waste, particularly plastics, can be lethal to many species, and their removal helps to preserve local biodiversity.

Moreover, every piece of collected waste is one less item that will end up in our oceans or contribute to global pollution. It also helps to prevent land degradation, which is a major cause of soil erosion and climate change.

Beyond these environmental aspects, cleanup operations also have a significant social and educational impact. By bringing together people from all walks of life to work together, they become more aware of the importance of preserving our planet. They also serve as a platform to educate and raise awareness about waste issues and the importance of nature conservation. Therefore, every cleanup operation sows the seeds for a more environmentally respectful future.

 The Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association (HELMEPA), one of the most historic environmental organizations, for over 41 years remains at the forefront for the protection of seas and coasts, the safety at sea, and sustainable development. Founded in 1982 by visionary Greek shipowners and seafarers, HELMEPA’s mission is to « Save the Seas » and safeguard a clean and healthy marine environment to future generations. Today, the Association has evolved into an open participatory platform of volunteerism, collaboration, and collective action with 262,000 volunteers, 14,200 seafarers, 2,273 vessels and 316 member-companies. 

Standing by the new generation, HELMEPA maintains a longstanding relationship of trust and interaction with future leaders through its programs. HELMEPA Junior (ages 5-11), which was launched in Greek schools in 1993, HELMEPA Cadets (ages 12-18), and Youth Ambassadors (15+ years old). To date, more than 450,000 students have visited the HELMEPA Junior exhibitions, and 136,000 students (from 4,214 schools) have participated in 45,000 environmental activities, along with 8,640 teachers-volunteers, gaining valuable knowledge about the role of the oceans. 

EXPERIENTIAL MARINE CLEAN UP: Join a voluntary action at the shore with real-time positive impact. The Experiential clean up is a fun and meaningful way to get involved through a one-off event with measurable outcome.

MARINE LITTER MONITORING: Step up with the Marine Litter Monitoring and engage in a highly impactful action, yet simple to implement. A 3-year commitment, coordinated by your team of volunteers (employees, suppliers, customers & families) at a specific site, that foresees the completion of seasonal marine litter surveys (minimum 2 – ideally 4 per year).

Project Rescue Ocean is an environmental NGO that has been modernizing the current environmental and nonprofit landscape since 2015. We offer public awareness initiatives by organizing waste collection operations and educating in schools with a universal program, aiming to expand internationally.

One of our primary missions is to raise awareness among children in schools, through the Rescue Ocean Academy. Our awareness programs are free, ensuring that all children can benefit from them. They are conducted by our ambassadors or volunteer members, who are trained by Project Rescue Ocean, which presents a universally adaptable program. These awareness sessions are engaging, tailored to different age groups, and culminate in awarding a ‘Ocean Rescuer’ diploma at the end of each session.

Our second mission is to organize pollution cleanup actions involving young people and the general public. Promoting natural awareness is the focus of our events.

Currently, our NGO has 45 branches worldwide, having raised awareness among over 20,000 children about eco-citizenship. We have also collected over 500 tons of wild waste that will no longer harm our environment.

Our network of branches is currently active in France and also at the international level. Each branch commits to conducting at least two initiatives per year, with a particular focus on June 8th, World Oceans Day, and September 16th, World Cleanup Day.

These two days provide excellent opportunities to implement tangible environmental actions. However, the majority of our branches go well beyond these minimum commitments. They show tremendous dedication by mobilizing dozens, and in some cases, hundreds of volunteers on each occasion.

July 2023 marked a significant event for us as we organized a seminar that brought together 15 of our branches. This event was instrumental in strengthening the bonds between our various branches and setting our objectives for the years ahead.

For the year 2024, we have ambitious plans to make substantial progress in our mission. We aim to collect 100 tonnes of wild waste and establish 5 new branches, both in France and internationally.

Furthermore, we are fully committed to upholding the principles of the European Charter ‘Mission and Oceans Waters by 2030’. With this in mind, we aim to reach a total of 1,000,000 kg of wild waste collected by 2030.

This initiative reflects our determination to act responsibly and proactively for environmental preservation, while enhancing our positive impact on the mindset and ecosystems in question.

ECOTERRE is an Orvault-based ecological association founded by two environmentally conscious youth. The association’s mission is to make ecology accessible and easy to implement in daily life. We are eager to take concrete action in Orvault, our city, through cleanup efforts, awareness campaigns, and the restoration of ponds.

As part of PLANET 2024, EcoTerre will organize monthly waste collections to raise awareness among Orvault residents about waste management and encourage people to act responsibly. We believe that every small effort matters, and even picking up a single piece of litter can make a significant difference to the environment.

Ecoterre aims to restore and create ponds to develop and promote marine life and biodiversity in the Cens Valley.

Marseille-based organization established in 2017, Clean My Calanques was born out of a desire to take local action and create a true citizen mobilization in the region. After six years of existence, the organization has conducted 124 cleanups along the Marseille coastline and collected over 60 tons of waste.

Once or twice a month, Clean My Calanques organizes large-scale trash pickups where conviviality and mutual assistance take center stage. These are genuine moments of sharing where the organization provides participants with complimentary vegetarian lunches and/or snacks, in partnership with local actors and restaurateurs. In each of these activities, several individuals are rewarded with ethical gifts for finding the most unique waste items.

As part of the PLANET 2024 project, Clean My Calanques will organize a cleanup session in Marseille during the year 2024. The goal? Raise awareness among as many people as possible about the dumping of waste in natural and communal spaces and encourage participants, as well as those affected by this action, to reflect on their habits and consumption patterns. As always, this cleanup will be accompanied by fun and interactive activities: sports, partner booths, music, and entertainment.