Beach Cleanups and trash hunting abroad: what is it, why should you do it, and where is the best place to go?

What is trash hunting and beach cleanup abroad and why is it done?
What does working in a cleanup project involve?
What do you get out of it?
What are the best places to go join a beach cleanup?
What are the best places to join other types of cleanups?

What is trash hunting and beach cleanup abroad and why is it done?

Litter is a problem that exists worldwide, from the north cape to cape horn and from tropical beaches to the slopes of Everest
During trash hunting or cleanups, a specific area is chosen to takeaway all plastic trash and other waste.
Depending on the location, the waste consists of household waste, PET bottles, leftovers from fishing, tourist trash or floating debris from the other side of the world
Cleaning up litter can be intended to protect wildlife, to give nature another chance or to make a place so beautiful that visitors will want to visit it again.
Most cleanups are organised by local citizen initiatives, foundations and action groups and joining them is free

What does working in a cleanup project involve?

During most cleanups you will go out with a group of volunteers with a pile of garbage bags and work gloves.
When cleaning up waste on islands, isolated beaches or between mangroves you will often do your cleanup work from a boat.
In reef cleanups you will go into the water with a snorkel or diving gear depending on the depth of the water
Sometimes a competitive element is added to an activity, where groups compete against each other to collect as many kilos of waste as possible.
Some environmentally conscious tour agencies offer discounts for people who are willing to pick up trash along hiking or climbing trails
No training or experience is required for this work, the much bending and the large amounts of waste make this work quite hard so a reasonable to good condition is desirable

What do you get out of it?

Involvement: it strengthens your sense of involvement in tackling pollution and protecting nature in a very hands on way.
Experience: for a large part of the cleanups you will be active in a location where you as a tourist will not quickly come. By working with a group of committed volunteers you will experience the environment more strongly than normal
New contacts: the low-key nature of the activity ensures that a diverse audience participates. It is a way for outsiders to get to know the locals or for expats to meet other involved citizens

What are the best places to go join a beach cleanup?

Indonesia
Costa Rica
Greece
Cape verde
Hawaii

What are the best places to join other types of cleanups?

Amazon river cleanup: Brazil
Inca trail or El misti vulcano trail cleanup near Arequipa, Peru
Norwegian fjords cleanup
Mangrove cleanups in Jamaica, Bonaire or the Philippines

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Volunteering & Projects

Related organization or sector:

Organizations: for environmental and nature protection

Organizations for environmental and nature protection

Concerned countries and regions

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Mangroves
Stories, tips and experiences about Mangroves

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World Cleanup Day 2025 - 20 september

Sluit je ook in 2025 weer aan bij deze wereldwijde schoonmaakactie - World Cleanup Day = het grootste evenement tegen zwerfvuil en (plastic) rommel in de natuur ter wereld. Op zaterdag 20 september (en lokaal soms een dagje eerder of later) kan je door heel Nederland, de EU of waar je dat moment ook maar bent, je handen een paar uur uit de mouwen steken en andermans zooi opruimen voor een schonere wereld. Simpele actie - direct resultaat.

Dit wereldveranderende idee begon in 2008 in het kleine Noord-Europese land Estland. 50.000 mensen verenigden zich om het hele land in slechts vijf uur schoon te maken. Op die dag werd een mondiale burgerbeweging van onderaf geboren, die zich als een lopend vuurtje over de hele wereld verspreidde. Dit sprak tot de verbeelding van mensen over de hele wereld, die geïnspireerd werden om dit voorbeeld te volgen met dezelfde ambitieuze ‘één land, één dag’-vorm.

Veertien jaar later is het simpele idee uitgegroeid tot een mondiale beweging met miljoenen vrijwilligers verspreid over cleanups in ruim 190 landen. Van kleine lokale initiatieven tot nationale mega-acties en van beach blitz tot wrak-duiken en van Vuurland en IJsland tot de tropische eilanden Seychellen en Saint Lucia. De simpele handeling van schoonmaken is een kracht geworden die mensen en groepen samenbindt die anders nooit zouden dromen om naar hetzelfde doel toe te werken. Het maatschappelijk middenveld, regeringen en mondiale bedrijven, vrouwen in Saoedi-Arabië, mensen die de oorlog trotseren in Jemen en Syrië, moslims, joden, hindoes en christenen, mannen en vrouwen, kinderen.

Ter voorbereiding op de cleanup wordt er ook een digital cleap-up day gehouden. Door je digitale rommel te verwijderen verlaag je eennvoudig jouw digitale voetafdruk.

Locatie: Wereldwijd kan je je aansluiten via lokale initiatieven - veelal te vinden via Facebook, lokale krantjes, prikborden, Whatsapp groepen en deels via de nationale websites van de Worldcleanupday

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