Fancy a free kayaking session? Tobias Weber-Andersen is a kayaking instructor with a growing fleet of boats and paddles that he makes available to anyone. But there’s just one catch: kayakers must pick up litter as they go along.
While working in Copenhagen, Weber-Andersen initiated cleanups in the canals and waterways. Since then, he’s inspired more people to get involved with his NGO GreenKayak. “Waste pollution is becoming a bigger challenge for the world, and we need to have more creative solutions to tackle this problem,” Weber-Andersen says. His initiative invites people to join a GreenKayak trip, the only requirement being that they must collect trash and share their efforts on social media with #GreenKayak. So far, volunteers have rescued over 60 tonnes of waste. “It’s very easy to use and the kayak itself is super efficient because it can reach into narrow corners, between the boats and also on shallow water,” Weber-Andersen says.
His kayaks ensure that paddlers are keeping waterways across Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Germany, and Ireland clean on a regular basis. “The response from people is always really positive. They feel good about themselves, they feel good about giving a helping hand to the ocean,” Weber-Andersen says. Through GreenKayak, people are able to actively participate in the green movement and carry its lessons into their everyday lives.
You can contribute to the work of GreenKayak here.
Footage and photos by GreenKayak was used in the creation of this film.
