The Trash Traveler

Every day in Portugal, four-million plastic bottles are wasted every single day, with only 36% of beverage containers returned for recycling. We supported The Trash Traveler, an activist based in Portugal, as he cycled 3,000-km across Portugal, raising awareness and encouraging the public to sign the petition urging the Portuguese government to implement a Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). In all, 4,599 bottles and cans were collected along his 55-day route and the campaign’s petition received over 7,000 signatures (as of August 2022). The trip has ended, but the plastics gathered will be displayed as part of an art project and the support raised continues to lobby for DRS.

Andreas Noe, also known as the Trash Traveller, is a figure that we as a foundation choose to support because of the way he raises awareness. While on a surfing trip in Portugal in 2018, he was shocked at how polluted the beaches were and decided to quit his job and make a difference. By cycling across the country and collecting trash along the journey, he raises awareness in an entertaining way, making people want to participate in the solution. He also uses a shock factor in order to wake people up to the reality of the issues at hand. Working together, over 7000 signatures (and counting) have been gathered to bring legislation for a Deposit Return Scheme to the Portuguese Government. If passed, such a program could greatly reduce littering and pollution in the country.