A Historic First for Luxembourg
On 21 September 2024, Central Park in Kirchberg became the beating heart of Luxembourg’s environmental day. For the first time since the United Nations officially recognized World Cleanup Day in December 2023, Luxembourg joined millions of people worldwide to take action celebrating the World Cleanup Day 2024.
In just 90 minutes, 50 volunteers; including individuals, families, and members from multiple organizations like Clean Something For Nothing (CSFN), EU Climate Pact Luxembourg, Pick It Up Luxembourg, Sea Shepherd Luxembourg, SINGA Luxembourg, Luxembourg Air Rescue, and youngcaritas — removed 168 kg of litter from the park, lake area, and surrounding green spaces.
This local effort was part of the world’s largest civic movement, which in recent years has mobilized over 91 million volunteers across 211 countries, removing hundreds of thousands of tonnes of waste.
Community Power in Action
The atmosphere in Kirchberg was one of unity and purpose. Volunteers came equipped with gloves, litter pickers, yellow vests, trash bags, and plenty of positive energy.
Every item collected — from plastic bottles to cigarette butts — told a story of why this work matters.
César González Fernández, country leader for World Cleanup Day Luxembourg and co-founder of CSFN, explained:
“At first, people think Luxembourg is too clean to find much trash. But once they start, it’s a revelation — they begin noticing litter they had never seen before. That’s when the mindset changes.”
This change in perception is exactly what World Cleanup Day aims to achieve — not just removing litter, but reshaping habits.
Why Cleanups Matter More Than Ever
The numbers are alarming:
- 8 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans every year.
- By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea.
- In Luxembourg alone, 216 kg of litter per kilometre are found along motorways, and 103 kg/km along national roads.
- The state spends about €1.2 million annually on roadside litter cleanup.
Even in one of the world’s cleanest countries, waste pollution persists — and it’s our collective responsibility to change that.
Small Gestures, Big Impact
Cleaning up doesn’t have to be a massive project. As César puts it:
“You don’t have to do it every day — but if you see something during a walk or a picnic, picking it up makes a real difference.”
Through the CSFN app, volunteers worldwide have already logged over 730,000 kg of litter collected in 5,000+ cleanups across 71 countries — turning thousands of small actions into massive environmental impact.
📌 Want to join the movement?
- Download the CSFN app and track your next cleanup
- Join a local event or start your own
- Be part of a community committed to a waste-free future
