One planet, one goal and millions of volunteers in more than 160 countries united in the largest civilian action in human history to clean the planet of improperly disposed waste.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, World Cleanup Day is being carried out as part of the Let’s Do It project, as the eighth volunteer action Let’s Do It – Let’s Clean the Country in 1 Day. The slogan of this year’s action is “Be Someone, Be #herojEKO”.
With their enthusiasm and dedication, EKO heroes showed that they wanted to take matters into their own hands and unite the streets, parks, mountains, banks of rivers and lakes across Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Since 2012, we have been regularly organizing ‘Let’s Do It – Clean the Earth in 1 Day’ actions.
Unfortunately, there are still irresponsible citizens in our country who are improperly dumping waste and there is a great need for cleaning. I wholeheartedly thank all the volunteers who are cleaning up all over Bosnia and Herzegovina today, and I am proud of their enthusiasm and dedication, ”said Junuz Elkaz, the project’s coordinator, News Agency Patria reports.
The inaugural World Cleanup Day was September 15, 2018, but it builds on the successes of previous global cleanup efforts. The goal of World Cleanup Day 2018 was to involve 5% of the world’s population (or approximately 380 million people). While the effort fell short of the goal, WCD18 directly mobilized 17.5 million people worldwide.
Global cleanup efforts have existed in many forms throughout human history, especially after widespread catastrophes such as earthquakes, floods, and powerful tsunamis.
In modern history, these efforts are typically undertaken by the affected communities, with support from various international organizations and NGOs, and other relief organizations but typically in post-conflict zones. They have included efforts to remove land mines, beach cleanup, and other municipal and non-governmental actions.
World Cleanup Day is a decentralized network, made of different grassroots efforts. One of the largest organizers of global cleanup efforts is Let’s Do It! World. Founded in Estonia, the organization successfully mobilized more than 50,000 volunteers for a single-day, country-wide cleanup effort that resulted in the elimination of 10,000 tons of illegal waste. The Estonian action, called Let’s Do It 2008 emerged as a global model, spreading globally thereafter.
Today, the movement has grown into a network of 169 countries and territories. During the 2018 World Cleanup Day, 157 countries and territories participated with a reported 17.8 million people. It was estimated that over 82,280 tons of waste were collected around the world.
