Let's Do It! Clean World News
May 2017

The Garden at the End of World

Photo: Pål Mårtensson

Paul Emmet visited Let’s Do It Philippines Young Leaders Conference and interviewed Jose Travero, director of Bohol Island State University. The flagship programme of this university is the agriculture programme, including environment and forestry. Today they are combining agricultural studies with entrepreneurship, trying to merge the idea of economic integration. "We are trying to make a paradigm shift," Jose says. Click here to learn more about this charismatic leader with a bold venture. 

Croatia is United Again – Part I

Photo: Let’s Do It! Croatia

Ana Golja and Helena Traub from the small seaside town of Opatija in Croatia told their story and how they have by now engaged over 5% of the Balkan nation of Croatia in countrywide cleanups. These two no-nonsense ladies in 2009 made a decision. They resuscitated an ailing NGO and from the onset they decided to take a fresh approach. Environmental groups in Croatia were often known for saying no. No to such and such regulation, no to this new law, no to activities embedded in the national culture, in short environmental activism was associated with the word no! So Ana and Helena decided to say ‘Yes’.

But they had no money, no sponsor, no team, and nobody in Croatia was interested. How did they manage to turn this situation around? Read here. 

Launching the World Waste Database

Photo: Let's Do It!

On June 6th the World Waste Database will be launched! The database allows to understand, monitor, analyze, and ultimately to tackle the problem of marine litter better. We will cover this event more in-depth in our next newsletter, but for those wishing to keep current, we recommend checking our Facebook page as we're also hoping to bring you the live stream from the launch event in New York.

Trash Talk: Incineration vs. the Circular Economy

Image: Zero Waste Europe

"Turning our trash into energy is at first glance a party trick that is comparable to the likes of turning water to wine. But in-reality that comparison would only be accurate if that wine is the slightly dubious 1 euro bottle you find in the clearance bin at Aldi. It will still get you drunk, but the 3-day crippling hangover that follows will leave you moaning by the toilet asking yourself yet again “why do I always do this?”," blogger Laura Mahoney writes in her witty and informative article about the shoddy allure of waste-to-energy solutions. 

Unboxing Videos Distract from the Real Problem of Packaging Waste

Screen capture: YouTube

Unboxing videos are a curious YouTube trend that involves filming the act of opening a newly purchased item. Viewers are able to see exactly how the item comes packaged and what it looks like from every possible angle. Meanwhile, the owner narrates the process, describing the feel, smell, and even emotions associated with the unboxing process. There’s a dark flipside to all of this fun, however and that is the waste generated by superfluous packaging. Did you know that an estimated one-third of municipal waste comes from packaging? Read the article and share it with your favourite YouTubers!

Upcoming events

15.09.2018 World Cleanup Day

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