Trash Hero Samui

Trash Hero Samui mission is to create a sustainable, community-based projects that remove existing rubbish and reduce future waste by inspiring long-term behaviour change.

Weekly Clean-Up

Solving the global garbage issue is complex. Knowing what to do about the garbage littered on our beaches and in our communities is relatively simple. Pick it up and dispose of the litter correctly.

The idea: Trash Hero Samui, with the support of local businesses, people come together once a week to pick up trash (e.g. donated resources + volunteers = cleaner environment).

When and Where: The time and location is designated weekly by the local Trash Hero Chapter

Cost and Sign-up: There is no cost and no sign-up for volunteers at Trash Hero Samui. Show up at the designated time and place. Participating local businesses donate gloves and trash bags, refreshments and the transportation when needed.

Does it work: April 16 2016 over 12,000 volunteers removed 155 metric tons of garbage in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, New York and Prague.

What’s better than picking up trash in beautiful destinations? Making sure that it doesn’t end up on a beach or anywhere else in the first place.

Bottles and Bags Programme

The idea – The Bottles and Bags program from Trash Hero Samui aims to substantially reduce the amount of plastic bottles and bags on the beaches in the sea and in our communities. Providing reusable replacements which not only benefit the environment but also consumers and businesses.

How do Water Bottles Work – Trash Hero Samui sells stainless steel water bottles to local businesses (in Thailand for 100 baht, at no profit to Trash Hero). Local businesses can sell the bottles to their customers. Businesses must agree to a refill station providing anyone with a Trash Hero water bottle with unlimited free drinking water. No matter where the bottle was purchased the water must be free.

The Plastic Bags – Trash Hero World produces reusable and packable shopping bags, which they make available to businesses. Businesses, in, turn can then sell them at a minimal mark up to customers, instead of giving them plastic bags.

Benefits of the Bottles & Bags program

The environment benefits because less plastic is consumed and thus less plastic thrown away. Businesses benefit from an environmentally responsible product to offer their customers while still making a profit. The bottles and bags also give customers a reason to visit participating businesses, to purchase reusable bottles and bags, or to refill the water bottles. Consumers benefit from making environmentally responsible choices and a product that can be used over and over again. The cost of the water bottle itself can be recovered after only 10 refills! It’s win, win, win!

Promoting Clean Communities

Although many of us are blessed with well-functioning municipal waste management programs, many do not have easy or convenient ways to get rid of trash and other waste. Historically, in small and rural communities trash and other waste is burned or hidden out of sight. Unfortunately, the amount of plastic and other toxins in modern waste makes burning and burying garbage dangerous for the animals, people and for the environment.

The idea – Provide garbage receptacles and volunteer-driven waste pick-ups in rural and small communities that currently do not have publicly provided waste management services, and discourage the burning and burying of garbage.

How It Works – Volunteers arrange with the local community members to use designated waste receptacles to separate garbage. On pre-arranged days the waste is collected. Sidecar-motorbikes, pick-up trucks, long-tail boats or any transportation is donated by local businesses or Trash Hero community members. In addition to the trash bins Trash Hero sponsors can provide the communities trash bags and gloves to conduct community cleanups.

What Trash is Collected – The trash collected can be household garbage, used motor oil, and other hard-to-discard items such as electronics and motorbike/car batteries.

Education in Schools

You’re never too young to be a Trash Hero Samui. A better environmental future requires better environmental awareness for the future generations. You have to involve the kids.

The idea – To develop projects in local schools and increase awareness about environmental problems, specifically responsible waste practices.

The Projects – The local school children have joined the cleanups. The written classroom materials have been developed to educate kids about why trash should be picked up. The multimedia presentations have been conducted to educate kids on how garbage impacts beaches and sea life. The kids produce personal videos with the World Story Exchange The videos include how the garbage affects the children’s local communities.

Visiting Schools – Depending on your location representatives can visit your school. Volunteers can conduct presentations at your local school. If we are not near we can provide you with multi-language presentation materials. The materials are aimed at providing the children with valuable information about responsible waste management and environmental care-taking.

Declaring War on Corporate Litter

A lot of the litter we produce is waste as a result of our work.

The Idea – Trash Hero Samui World’s at Work program creates a solid basis for reducing corporate and business waste to a minimum.

How it Works – The first step office waste on an average day is analysed in detail. One by one steps are taken to reduce waste to a minimum. Employees might commit to using our stainless steel bottles. Slowly employees can move towards implementing a zero waste philosophy. Small changes make a big difference.