What is our aim?

By means of volunteer participated cleaning-up activities, we aim to raise awareness among people who are present in the location and to contribute to their behavioural transformation towards responsible waste management practices.

Why clean-up activities?

Clean-up activities do not mean responsible people should collect waste left behind by irresponsible people. Instead, the clean-up activities focus on drawing the attention of people around us, raising the awareness and calling them to action. In that context, at every step of our action, we should stress that everyone has the responsibility not to litter and take their waste to the proper bins.

Where should we do our clean-up activities?

We should prefer doing our clean-up activities in locations where people visit and spend time most as these places face a greater threat from littering and waste accumulation. Doing activities in more crowded locations on the most crowded times better serves to our purpose of raising public awareness too.

• Coastlines and beaches
• Picnic grounds and recreation spots
• Archaeological and cultural sites and protected areas
• Parks and public gardens
• Public squares and main streets

What do we do for and during our activities?

• After we choose our location, we preferably inform the local authorities (municipality or other official body) and if required, get proper permissions.
• We learn the locations of closest waste containers and waste collection facilities.
• We choose the most crowded and busy time for the activity and make a call for the volunteers with all the information.
• In accordance with the number of volunteers we have, we obtain sufficient numbers of strong garbage bags and cleaning gloves. We always wear gloves and closed shoes in order to protect ourselves from germs and harmful substances.
• We document the initial state of our location by taking photographs. We avoid picturing of people around us.
• We always work in teams of at least two people.
• As we pick-up waste, we encourage people around us to bin their waste or take their waste with them when they leave the location.
• We document our activity by taking photographs.
• We bag and weigh our waste, and then leave it to the nearest waste container or take it to the location shown us by the municipality or local authorities.
• We document the location after the activity by photographs and announce it in a before & after manner on social media.

What we don't do?

• We do not pick potentially hazardous sharp objects such as glass, metal pieces and syringes.
• We do not pick unhygienic waste such as organic material, food waste, medical waste and hygienic products and other waste that has been contaminated with these in order to avoid any health hazard.
• We do not try to lift too large or too heavy objects to avoid injury.
• We do not pick packaging of paint, chemicals and medication.
• We never leave children unattended and only let them to pick unharmful waste under adult supervision.
• We merely warn people who are littering but never get into a discussion in order to avoid any unnecessary confrontation with them.
• We never leave what we collect on location.

About Mind Your Waste Foundation

Mind Your Waste Foundation was founded in 2015 to create a cleaner environment by promoting a behavioural change to eliminate littering, minimize waste production and to ensure proper disposal of waste.

Our mission is to create behavioural change by executing environmental consciousness campaigns, developing educational programs and incentives, improving environmental policies and sharing inspiring best practices for a litter free environment. In order to achieve our mission, we collaborate with all public and civil organizations including municipalities, education and media institutions and non-governmental organisations.

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