I am proud to be WCD Director Europe since January 2022. I look motivated forward and hope for the trust and support of the European World Cleanup Day and Let’s Do It World community 🙂
Achievements:
In 2016, I met representatives of Let‘s Do It movement. As a result of this I took responsibility to lead World Cleanup Day in Germany. World Cleanup Day on 15th September 2018 was a great success worldwide. In Germany my team was able to inspire people, partners, and societies in over 125 cities to come out that day for a nation-wide cleanup.
Since the topics of sustainability and climate protection have fascinated me for a while and I ́m convinced that our generation must act now, I founded a NGO – Let‘s Do It! Germany e.V. in 2018 with a purpose to tackle the hot topics such mismanaged plastic, waste and climate change through World Cleanup Day. Since 2018, I‘ve been the president of Let’s Do It! Germany.
World Cleanup Day is not just one day for a nation-wide cleanup but looking into the future and finding the ways to create sustainable changes and innovative solutions. We have added several side projects under the World Cleanup Day umbrella for example a painting competition or our school project „WCD macht Schule“.The World Cleanup Day 2023 in Germany engaged:
- 400.000 participants
- 9.000 cleanups
- 2.000 municipalities
I have been accredited as an EU Climate Pact Ambassador for Germany since 2021.
On a global level of Let’s Do It World NGO, I ́m part of the global partnership workgroup since 2019. Up from 2021 I was leading the process and team to create the new LDI World Ethical Funding Policy.
As project leader of the LDI World Annual Conference 2021 in Munich I structured the project team, the website content and its functions. I created and installed the collaboration platform and was responsible for integrating tools like Zoom, YouTube and others into the conference platform.
Motivation:
Strategic and well organized multi-project management is my daily life. I work independently but also enjoy working with a great team. As my strengths I consider a passion for the topic sustainability, my flexible and collaborative approach and great leadership skills. Concidered my experiences, passion for the topic, large network and skills that perfectly match to the expected needs, I believe I could add some value to Let’s Do It World and WCD team leading it to achieve all the goals.
2023: A Year of Collective Action in Europe
This year, as Europe furthers its commitment to the „EU Green Deal“ and the Climate Pact, the unity and collaboration within the Let’s Do It movement have been remarkable. Our joint commitment to addressing these challenges is more crucial than ever. Our endeavors go beyond battling plastic waste, a significant threat to our environment and health, to include strategic partnerships with various sector organizations, all aimed at creating a crisis-free world.
The need for positive global change is clear, calling for the active participation of each one of us. Addressing the climate crisis and the plastic waste issue requires our united efforts. Initiatives such as World Cleanup Day and Digital Cleanup Day, along with educational programs like the Waste Primer pilot which debuted in Germany and is slated for expansion to other European nations next year following OECD guidelines, are crucial in closing gaps, protecting our environment, and guiding us towards a world that is cleaner, healthier, and free from pollution. The importance of data in these efforts is paramount, as it not only provides essential insights but also needs to be of high quality to enable real change. High-quality data ensures that our understanding of environmental impacts is accurate, our tracking of progress is precise, and our strategies for the future are effectively shaped to maximize the impact of these initiatives.
Educational initiatives and programs that instill environmental stewardship in European youth are crucial. Similarly, the „Planet and Pixels“ pilot project, developed in collaboration with Fujitsu Europe, serves as an adult education program focusing on data waste topics. This project highlights the significance of partnerships between civil society and corporations in fostering environmental awareness and action.
The support of European political leaders, such as Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament, is vital for the effectiveness and visibility of our movement. Her presence at the World Cleanup Day campaign kick-off on June 6th in Brussels, which united global leaders of the Let’s Do It movement, underscored the importance of collaboration between civil society and politics in tackling environmental issues.
Moreover, the Let’s Do It World Movement Political Positions, presented to the EU Parliament President during the World Cleanup Day campaign launch in Brussels, demonstrate our comprehensive approach to environmental challenges. This approach includes advocating for stricter environmental laws with active civil society participation, enhancing global education on sustainability, fostering collaborations for a circular economy, reducing plastic consumption significantly, holding manufacturers accountable for their plastic waste, increasing public awareness and transparency about the risks of plastics, and advocating for a global legal framework to tackle the plastic crisis. These collective efforts aim to create a cleaner, more sustainable future, starting in Europe and extending globally.
I firmly believe that through collaboration among civil society, cultural sectors, politicians, and businesses, we can address the significant environmental challenges of our era. Together, we have the strength to transform Europe and the world into a clean, healthy, and waste-free environment, and restore humanity as a positive, regenerative force for this planet. Let’s do it – together!
Holger, Regional Director Europe