World Clean Up Day Is September 21 2019

Whether you are a litter, picker upper or not, at least save the date on September 21 to try and pick up some litter around your house or office or anywhere. You can join a group at World Clean Up Day or even National Clean Up Day in the United States or International Coastal Clean Up Day.

The planet was swept cleaner by a green wave on September 15, 2018 as 17 million people from 158 countries and territories joined in World Cleanup Day, the largest peacetime civic action in human history.

The largest contributors were Indonesia, Pakistan and USA with 3.3, 3 and 1.5 million people respectively. Kyrgyzstan had the largest percentage of population participation rate in the cleanup, standing at 7%. World Cleanup Day 2018 animated results: https://youtu.be/NsjkepwIR6o

But in reality, it’s not about the numbers themselves, rather it’s about the message carried across the world to hundreds of millions of people. “What happened was supposed to happen; you can never describe real success in numbers,” said Merili Vares, Head of Partnerships for Let’s Do It! Foundation.

“The planet does not need us, we need the planet,“ said Eva Truuverk, Head of the Managing Board of the Let’s Do It! Foundation. “Today, I truly believe that, as humans, we do have more hope!” she added.

11 countries all over the world were forced to postpone their cleanup activities, mainly due to weather conditions. According to global disaster alerts, there were six active tropical cyclones, typhoons and hurricanes that affected participating countries or regions. The Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Macau, several US States and the Dominican Republic were all significantly impacted due to the strength and paths of the storms, posing a threat to millions of people. Once conditions are safe again, with damage assessments complete, the 11 countries and territories who had to postpone their events will resume their commitment to their cleanup plans, with hundreds of thousands of people likely to swell the numbers recorded yesterday.

World Cleanup Day started in Fiji and finished in American Samoa 24 hours later and was supported by a number of global leaders. The Presidents of Estonia, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia participated in cleanups, acting as role models for the rest of the world. Cleanup actions were also endorsed by several opinion leaders and celebrities, e.g Kevin Bacon, Jack Johnson, Dia Mirza plus many more.

The final list of artists, who were part of the World Cleanup Day special broadcast with their messages to the world and beautiful music to celebrate, follows at the end of this release

Today, one day after World Cleanup Day, Let’s Do It! World’s ‘Keep it Clean Plan’ is being introduced. A group of renowned researchers and experts, gathered in the Knowledge Team and led by Enzo Favoino, has been working under the wing of the Let’s do it! Foundation to prepare the Plan. The Plan itself embeds the principles of the ‘Zero Waste’ strategy, including guiding principles to influence policies and practices. It concludes with recommended actions for businesses, governments, citizens and NGOs to implement specific steps. Favoino says, “With this Plan, we want to harness the potential created by the success of the World Cleanup Day and drive change in the management of discarded resources. We have therefore defined those practices which help tackle the global challenge of mismanaged waste, optimise the management of resources included in our discards and, at the same time, tap into the potential of creating jobs and promote economic development of communities in reuse, repair, recycling and composting activities”.

Let’s do it! Foundation is looking to work in cooperation with the country and community leaders, as well as with partners, to develop further country-based roadmaps towards better waste management systems and policies, thus engaging public and private sectors as well as local communities. The further collaborative steps based on the Keep It Clean Plan will be decided together with the Let’s do it! country leaders at the 8th annual Clean World Conference, held in Tallinn on 24-27 January, 2019

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A 24-hour, non-stop World Cleanup Live Show covered the cleanups across the globe. All the original video content  is available on YouTube (www.youtube.com/letsdoitworld) and free to use for media.

The full list of artists whose contributions were used in the World Cleanup Live Show in Kimbra, Jack Johnson, Kodaline, Gilles Peterson, José González, Snatam Kaur, Amadou & Mariam, Neil Davidge, Dispatch, Crystal Fighters, Carbon Based Lifeforms, Herencia de Timbiquí, Paul Oakenfold, Liquicity DJ-d (Hybrid Minds, Maduk, T&Sugah), Paul Oakenfold, Ewert & The Two Dragons, NOËP, H20 Orchestra (Sonidos de la Tierra), Vocal Line, Simon Lynge and Amir John Haddad.

Special thanks to Neil Davidge for this beautiful, specially composed piece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pkGNWi-WHY

Most of these artists also helped to spread the word by posting news about the World Cleanup Day in their own social media and/or communication channels. Artists who attended cleanups include Jack Johnson, Snatam Kaur, Trad Attack! and NOËP. Other artists who helped to spread the word: Iiris, Paavo Järvi, Eivør Pálsdóttir, Balth and Mai Leisz. Hollywood actors who contributed are; Johann Urb, Alar Kivilo (producer), Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedwick and Lola Kirke.

The year 2018 marked 100 years since the founding of the Republic of Estonia. World Cleanup Day 2018 is Estonia’s biggest gift to the world on its 100th anniversary. More information about the centenary events can be found at www.EV100.ee

More information:

Website:  www.worldcleanupday.org

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/worldcleanupday2018/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/letsdoitworld

Photos of World Cleanup Day: https://www.facebook.com/pg/worldcleanupday2018/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2361783967195279