On World Clean-Up Day, over 50 volunteers in Luxembourg joined millions worldwide in collecting litter, highlighting the urgent need to curb overconsumption, and raise awareness about pollution.
Mass production, overconsumption, and careless behaviour are leaving forests and parks across the globe increasingly polluted, with an estimated two billion tonnes of waste generated every year.
The international World Clean-Up Day movement began in Estonia in 2008, when around 50,000 residents came together to collect rubbish in just four hours. Since then, 20 September has become a symbolic day of action in more than 200 countries and regions, drawing millions of volunteers.
This year, some 19 million people worldwide took part, sorting and removing litter from natural spaces. In Luxembourg, over 50 volunteers gathered on Saturday around Kirchberg Park, where they spent two hours collecting cigarette butts, empty cans, glass, and plastic.
Among the participants was Martina Berghoux, originally from Austria and now living in Luxembourg with her family. She explained that by involving her children in clean-up activities, she hopes they will grow up with the habit of respecting the environment.
For Luxembourg MEP Tilly Metz of the Greens (déi gréng), the issue goes far beyond the occasional clean-up. She underlined that today's culture of overconsumption means a significant proportion of waste is not properly treated, with much of it ending up in nature. As a result, microplastics have even been detected in the human body, she warned.
Raising awareness is therefore crucial. Pierre Schmitz from youngcaritas stressed the importance of teaching young people to take responsibility, not only by helping prevent pollution in the first place, but also by taking action to remove waste when needed.
World Clean-Up Day serves as a reminder that even small, local actions contribute to a global movement.
