Raising awareness with fun, creativity and the extraordinary together with the community!
The Trash Traveler & Team aim to raise awareness about environmental issues with fun, creativity and the extraordinary since 2019. A 58 day hiking adventure along the entire coast of Portugal by the founder Andreas Noe connected a community. A year later, 1.1 million cigarette butts were collected within 2 months. These and further projects brought 2000 people and 100 NGOs on the ground together to raise awareness complemented by Ukulele awareness songs, trash art pieces and documentaries.
National
Portugal
It's a national wide project, trying to reach all communities to take part in raising awareness about environmental issues.
Mainly rural
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
Yes
As individual(s) in partnership with organisation(s)
First name: Andreas Last name: Noe Gender: Male Please describe the type of organization(s) you work in partnership with: The project aims to connect to a broad variety of NGOs, schools, universities, companies, initiatives and general public throughout Portugal in a inclusive manner for whoever wants to be part in raising awareness about environmental issues. The Trash Traveler project has officially joined the Portuguese Association "Novo Mundo Azul" in 2020. After hiking the coast of Portugal and meeting with a lot of NGOs and initiatives, the founder Andreas Noe felt the need to lay the project in hand of a Portuguese NGO, firstly, to express his deep connection to Portugal and, secondly, to prevent accusations that "a German has to come to Portugal to raise awareness".
Nationality: Germany Function: Founder Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: 5 Rua do Fialho, Segundo Frente, Town: Peniche Postal code: 2520-555 Country: Portugal Direct Tel:+49 1573 5344676 E-mail:thetrashtravelerteam@gmail.com Website:http://thetrashtraveler.org
The Trash Traveler initiative is led by Biologist Andreas Noe and aims to raise awareness about plastic pollution through creative and extraordinary approaches. The initiative has been active since 2019 and has conducted several projects, including The Travel Trash Project, The Plastic Hike, The Butt Hike and The Trash Cycle. These projects involved collecting plastic along the coast of Portugal, transforming it into awareness art, and promoting sustainable living practices through art and collaboration with environmental NGOs. The Trash Traveler also documented the projects in awareness documentaries and created videos, Ukulele songs and presentations to educate the public.
The initiative has gained significant media coverage, including being featured on national media in Portugal, as well as a report by the German TV channel ZDF. Over 26,000 followers have been gained on social media, and a network of environmentally conscious individuals has been created. The main message of the initiative is to REFUSE single-use plastics, REDUCE packaging, RETHINK consumption, and REUSE items to the end of their life, and only then recycle.
The Trash Traveler's journey has inspired and reconnected people with nature, showing the beauty of the planet and encouraging individuals to take responsibility and start to act. The initiative also works to implement systemic change through collaboration with NGOs and scientists, pushing for policy change such as the implementation of a deposit system and solutions to prevent microplastics. The next project, The Plastic Paddle, will involve paddling the main rivers of Portugal, collecting water samples for analysis of microplastics and plankton, and performing clean-up and awareness actions with schools, universities, NGOs, municipalities, and initiatives.
Overall, the Trash Traveler initiative is a powerful example of how one individual's passion and creativity can inspire and bring about real change for the environment.
Plastic Pollution
Environmental awareness
Sustainability
Creativity
Community engagement
The key objective is to raise awareness about plastic pollution and promote sustainability. The initiative has been successful in bringing together people and NGOs with a common goal of protecting the environment and creating a network of individuals who care for the planet. Through various projects, the initiative has been able to collect plastic waste, create art out of it, and spread awareness about the negative impact of plastic pollution on the environment.
The main message is based on the concept REFUSE, REDUCE, RETHINK, REUSE and RECYCLE, to encourage people to live more sustainably. The initiative collaborates with scientists and environmental NGOs to combine awareness with policy making and science and to implement change on a systemic level.
The upcoming Plastic Paddle project will further raise awareness about microplastics in rivers connecting eco systems and our acts on land with the ocean and engage schools, universities, NGOs, and municipalities in clean-up and awareness actions. The initiative provides a holistic approach to sustainability by combining awareness, art, science, and policy making.
The key objectives of The Trash Traveler initiative are to raise awareness about plastic pollution and promote sustainability through creative and interdisciplinary approaches. The initiative focuses on creating a positive and engaging experience for people, using design, positive emotions and cultural benefits.
It is promoting that everyone can become an artist and take action. 28 artists joined to transform the trash of The Plastic Hike adventure. Within The Butt Hike adventure, the collected cigarette butts were layed on the ground forming 2 dimensional art pieces with the people who helped in the action. E.g. cigarette butt octopuses or sad smileys were layed on the ground with thousands of butts to impress the general public with creativity.
Andreas Noe is always carrying his Ukulele with which he is creating awareness songs about several environmental issues and always singing with the clean up group to make it more engaging and fun to take part in the actions. All Ukulele songs are short and simple, so that the message gets stuck into people's minds with a little smile. Every clean up ends with a creative video with joy together with the community. Songs and videos are created in collaboration with the clean up group depending on the engagement of the people. This connects people even more to the action and remembers. Always keeping in mind to raise awareness with positivity and joy.
Overall, the Trash Traveler initiative is exemplary in its creative and interdisciplinary approach to environmental awareness and sustainability. Its combination of fun, art, music and community engagement has not only raised awareness about plastic pollution, but also inspired people to live more sustainably and act for the planet.
The main key objective is to be inclusive and accessible for all, which is reflected in the wide range of activities and initiatives it has carried out. Through its projects, The Trash Traveler has collaborated with more than 100 NGOs/initiatives and 2000 people from different backgrounds to collect plastic waste along the coast of Portugal. The initiative also reached out to schools, universities, municipalities, and the general public to perform clean up and awareness actions, making the initiative accessible to all. Everyone who wants to join can join without judgment of their sustainable background. The Trash Traveler initiative believes that everyone can start any time to care about the planet and everyone has their own awareness steps that lead to take action eventually.
Another important objective is to implement change on a systemic level by working with NGOs such as Sciaena, which pushes policy makers to make positive changes in areas such as the implementation of deposit systems, reuse systems, and solutions to prevent microplastics. Furthermore, The Trash Traveler is collaborating with scientists to combine awareness with policy-making and science.
In terms of affordability, the projects are designed to be low-cost, such as the "The Trash Cycle" project where a bicycle was created out of second-hand bike parts that could be replicated by everyone. Also, The Plastic Hike along the coast of Portugal had a very low budget as collaboration support by NGOs and the general public. Without a big budget, Andreas has started to hike along the coast and made an awareness impact and started to pick up plastic. Moreover, the initiative has a main message of rethinking our consumption and promotes minimalism that turns into saving the budget.
The Trash Traveler initiative has involved citizens and civil society in a number of ways, including clean-up and awareness actions along the coast of Portugal, workshops and presentations, and the creation of art pieces from the collected waste. The involvement of citizens and civil society has been a key factor in the success of the initiative, as it has allowed for the creation of a network of people who care about the planet and are committed to making an impact. The involvement of NGOs, scientists, and policy makers has also helped to bring about systemic change. The impact of this involvement has been significant, as it has created a movement of people who are committed to taking care of the planet and making a positive impact. New clean up groups were created as a result of The Trash Traveler initiatives that are making an impact in their local areas.
Since 2019, The Trash Traveler initiative connected and was working with NGOs and environmentalists in Portugal but also abroad European and worldwide via social media.
Local/regional: Clean up actions, workshops and talks in schools, universities, municipalities and other events. Due to the replication of the projects to be a nationwide initiative, it makes sure to visit the local communities every year again to leave a sustainable impact.
National: Through the nationwide scope of the awareness adventures/projects, the national and also local media attention is reached. This results in an awareness spread in all different regions of Portugal. The initiative also works with NGOs such as Sciaena and many more NGOs to push policy makers for change in topics such as deposit system implementation and microplastic prevention solutions. The involvement of scientists has also combined awareness with policy making, outdoor inspiration, and science.
European / Worldwide: Collaboration with NGOs and environmentalists on social media campaigns. Social media clean up initiatives, sharing petitions and asking for signatures, and further awareness collaborations.
The Trash Traveler initiative reflects a combination of several disciplines including environmental biology, sustainability, art, media, and policy making. Municipality officials, the former minister of the sea, scientists, activists, NGOs, companies joined the local actions regularly which is proof for acknowledgement by professionals. The constant coverage by media is underlining the consistent effort and impact this initiative has. A constant growth of following on social media, 26,000 followers within 3 years, and having main influencers of Portugal sharing the initiatives confirm the acknowledgment and impact in the general public. Through this initiative, environmental awareness, education, and policy making have been brought together, resulting in a more comprehensive and effective approach to addressing plastic pollution.
The Trash Traveler initiative stands out from mainstream environmental initiatives in several ways. Firstly, it is a creative and interdisciplinary initiative that connects environmental activism with the arts, science and policy. Instead of simply collecting plastic waste, the project transforms the trash into art pieces, thereby raising awareness in a more visually impactful and engaging manner. Secondly, the project has a holistic approach that not only raises awareness but also seeks to implement systemic change through collaboration with NGOs, scientists, and policy makers. This combination of awareness and action sets the Trash Traveler apart from traditional environmental initiatives that focus solely on awareness or policy making. Also, his approach with joy and Ukulele songs and a constant smile, highlight a special approach to tackling an environmental issue. Finally, the project is not limited to traditional environmental activism, incorporating awareness through art, videos, workshops, and presentations. These innovative aspects of the Trash Traveler initiative make it a standout initiative in the field of environmental activism.
The Trash Traveler initiative is a highly replicable and transferable project. The main elements that can be replicated and transferred include:
Methodology: The project methodology of raising awareness through creative and fun initiatives such as hiking, cycling and paddling, can be easily replicated in other places. The combination of physical activities with art and media can effectively capture the attention of the public and spread the message of sustainability.
Technology: The use of social media to document and share the project activities can be adopted in other contexts. This helps in creating a virtual community and reaching a wider audience.
Collaboration with NGOs and institutions: The collaboration with NGOs, environmental organizations, and research institutes can be replicated in other places. This creates a network of like-minded people who are working towards the same goal and helps in achieving a systemic change.
Awareness Workshops and Presentations: The Trash Traveler has given workshops and presentations to spread awareness and share learnings from the project. This approach can be replicated in other places to educate and engage the community.
Message of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: The main message of Refuse single-use plastics, Reduce packaging, Rethink consumption and Reuse every item can be applied in other contexts to promote sustainable living.
Art and Media: The use of art and media to raise awareness can be replicated in other places to create an impactful and visually appealing message.
Implementation of deposit systems / other local solutions: The project has supported the implementation of a deposit system in Portugal, which can be replicated in other countries to reduce waste. It has also presented the work of NGOs to a wide audience which brings ideas to replicate projects in other local areas.
All elements can be adapted and replicated in other places, groups, and contexts to achieve similar results.
The Trash Traveler initiative uses an interdisciplinary approach that combines creative, positive, adventurous and educational elements to raise awareness and inspire to care for nature.
The Trash Traveler initiative addresses the global challenge of plastic pollution and further environmental issues, and surely contributes to the awareness of climate change. It has been encouraging people to take action, to form clean up / awareness groups to start a movement by themselves. Local actions are needed to create awareness to solve global issues. Everyone has to come together and can become part of a collective global solution. The initiative has created a network of people who care about the planet locally and connected them and also NGOs nationwide. Through the social media connection to an worldwide audience of people, NGOs and initiatives, the work in Portugal has been presented to a wider audience to inspire people worldwide to take similar action too. Through its creative and interdisciplinary approach, the Trash Traveler initiative is providing local solutions to address the global challenge of plastic pollution.
The Trash Traveler initiative has made significant progress in raising awareness through various projects such as "The Travel Trash Project", "The Plastic Hike", "The Butt Hike", and "The Trash Cycle", the initiative has collected already more than 3.5 tons of plastic waste and transformed some of it into awareness art, created 2 awareness documentaries and plenty of video clips and Ukulele awareness songs that have been shared on social media. The initiative has gained 26,000 followers, created a network of people and NGOs who care for the planet.
The initiative has already achieved several benefits, including increased awareness about plastic pollution, inspiring people to live sustainably, and pushing for policy change through collaboration with NGOs. The Trash Traveler has also given presentations and workshops around the country, created awareness videos and provided guidelines on how people can live more sustainably.
This year, the new project "The Plastic Paddle" will continue the initiative's efforts to raise awareness about plastic pollution. The Trash Traveler will paddle the main rivers of Portugal, collect water samples for analysis, perform clean up and awareness actions, and document the journey for a documentary film.
In the year following the application, the initiative will continue to work towards its goal of raising awareness about plastic pollution and promoting sustainable living. The steps envisaged include continuing to organize and participate in clean up and awareness actions, collaborating with research institutes and organizations to push for systemic change, and sharing the journey through social media and documentary films. The envisaged results and benefits include increased awareness and understanding of plastic pollution, continued promotion of sustainable living, and continued efforts towards policy change.
The Trash Traveler initiative contributes to developing new competences in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability in several ways. Firstly, through its creative and interdisciplinary approach, it connects the European Green Deal to the living spaces and experiences of people. Secondly, it provides hands-on learning opportunities to individuals, NGOs and environmental groups by engaging them in environmental clean-up and awareness projects. Thirdly, the initiative collaborates with researchers, scientists and policy makers to combine awareness with policy making, outdoor inspiration, and science, thereby fostering interdisciplinary competences. Fourthly, the initiative also provides practical guidance on sustainable living through its website, thereby promoting competences in responsible consumption and waste reduction. Lastly, The Trash Traveler's new project, "The Plastic Paddle", will involve the analysis of water samples for microplastics and plankton by research institutes, thereby fostering competences in research and data analysis.
