While cleaning up waste, and beautification of the environment are important and essential practices, unless there is a systemic change that leads to the reduction of waste generation, these efforts will be futile. Cleanup activities have to be supported by concrete steps that lead to a drastic reduction in the quantum of waste generated, and we need to ultimately change public mindsets to ensure that the need for cleaning becomes a thing of the past.
With the above background, we can focus on a campaign to reduce the waste generation within the member organizations, with a 45-day long rollout, focusing on waste reduction. We will focus on reducing the quantum of waste generated by the organisation during August and September, with the 3rd week of September named as the ‘Zero Waste Week’
World Cleanup Day
World Cleanup Day is celebrated on the 21st of September. The first world clean up day was celebrated on 15th September 2018, wherein 18 million people from over 158 countries took part. Over 88500 tonnes of waste was collected. Members of the Don Bosco Green Alliance also participated in this event last year.
This year, the World Clean Up Day coincides with world peace day. As per their mission statement, the movement is not solely about cleaning up trash, but about raising global awareness and implementing lasting changes to end the global waste epidemic.
International Coastal Cleanup Day
International Coastal Clean-Up Day is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of September, which this year falls on the 21st of September, coinciding with World Clean-Up Day.
Objectives
- Encouraging waste reduction within member organisations and urging them to move towards a zero waste lifestyle
- Creating awareness regarding waste generation and related issues
- Creating an environment within the organization that encourages reduction in generation of waste as opposed to clean up
- Rethinking of organizational priorities to greatly reduce generation of waste
- Starting a conversation about needless buying, and consuming products from sustainable brands
Schedule
Date
Action Theme
Area of Focus
4th August – 17th August
Food does not belong in the trash
Reducing Organic Waste
18th August – 31st August
No paper is a good indicator!
Reducing use of paper
1st September – 14th September
No plastic is not drastic
Eliminating single-use plastics
15th September – 21st September
A good case for zero waste
Zero-Waste Week
Outline
The campaign will be divided into four parts, as mentioned in the schedule above
Reducing Organic Waste
4 – 17 August 2019
Week 1 & 2 will be focused on the member institutions reducing their quantum of organic waste generated within the organization. The activities within this week can be designed around both reducing the generation of organic waste, and effective methods of upcycling organic waste, ultimately reducing, or completely eliminating organic waste from the organization.
Suggested Activities: Food waste Audits, Composting Workshops, Gardening Workshops, etc.
Reducing Use of Paper
18 – 31 August 2019
Week 3 & 4 will encourage the reduction of paper waste generated by the organization. The goal here is to greatly reduce the quantum of paper waste generated by an organization. While completely eliminating paper use is not possible, paper waste can be completely eliminated from the waste generated by an organization.
Suggested Activites: Digitization drives, paper collection drives, paper making workshops, recycled paper exhibitions, etc.
Eliminating Single-Use Plastics
1 – 14 September 2019
Week 5 & 6 will focus on completely eliminating the use of single-use plastic from the waste generated within the organization. Again, it should be noted this means that single-use plastic should not be found in the waste generated by an organization.
Suggested Activities: Plastic Audits, Plastic Collection Drives, Upcycling Workshops, Seminars on alternative plastics, etc.
Zero Waste Week
15 – 21 September 2019
Organic waste, Paper, and Plastic make up close 70-95% of the waste generated within the organization. If these three are eliminated, the organization can truly move towards becoming a truly ‘Zero Waste’ organization. During Week 7, we will encourage member organizations to truly analyze their waste generation practices, and take solid steps towards becoming a zero-waste organization.
During this week, organizations can also organize clean up drives, but the focus of these should be placed upon reduction of waste.
Suggested Activities: Cleanup Drives, DIY Zero Waste Workshops Etc.
Become a part of the campaign, register your organization by filling up the sign-up sheet on the following link: https://bit.ly/2Ot3SMy
External Resources:
Given below are a list of resources that can be used for conducting the activities mentioned above.
Global Partners
