In the current path for recovery, a wide-ranging behavioural change is needed. The European Week for Waste Reduction (EWWR) with the motto “the best waste is the one that is not produced” encourages a more sustainable world by promoting waste prevention and challenging citizens, NGOs, businesses, public authorities, and schools around Europe to take action. This year, like every year, a jury made of 6 experienced practitioners in the field of waste prevention will award the most outstanding actions of the last edition. The Awards Ceremony will take place online on 25 June at 14:00 CEST. Don’t miss it!
Urgency for behavioural change
The corona virus crisis has transported us into a reality far beyond all expectations. In no time we found ourselves deprived of our daily routine, as well as of many of our certainties. For the first time we had a first-hand experience of the consequences of over-exploitation of the planet's resources. The world as we knew it has been put to the test. While we are still swimming in uncertainty, many of us are wondering: what's next?
In the path for reconstruction of our society, we are standing at a crossroads: putting back together the pieces of a system whose fragilities have been revealed or rebuilding a society based on stronger values. The signal that our planet is giving us is clear: a more sustainable world is needed. But, for that to happen, wide-ranging behavioural change is now mandatory.
“Change your ways, Reduce your waste”: the EWWR 2019
The best waste is the one that is not produced!
Let's take a few steps back: before all this happened, there were people like you and me, who were already fighting to make the difference in their own way inside their communities. Between 16 and 24 November 2019 thousands of children and adults, NGOs, businesses, public authorities, and schools around Europe took action to tackle one of the cancers of our society: waste.
They raised awareness to promote waste prevention in more than 16 thousand ways. 16570 is actually the number of initiatives organised in November 2019 during the 11th edition of the European Week for Waste Reduction, which is the biggest European campaign promoting the implementation of awareness-raising actions about waste prevention during a single week. Having access to reliable information about the impact of consumption and waste generation on the environment is an essential precursor to changing one’s behaviour and daily habits surrounding these issues. From here comes the slogan of this edition “Change your ways, Reduce your waste”. It challenged everyone to take action by changing their own habits first, and inspiring others to follow suit with waste prevention communication and education activities at local level.
Everyday waste prevention champions: The EWWR Awards
The time has now come to let all these actions make an even bigger noise and tell the stories of these ordinary people who think, live and behave in a sustainable way. The 16 finalists who will be put in the spotlight passed the selection of a distinguished EWWR Jury composed of recognised environmental experts at the European level. This year, six members took part in the selection process: Kata Tüttö, European Committee of the Regions; Piotr Barczak, European Environmental Bureau; Clemens Rosenmayr, Eurochambres; Gosia Luszczek, Foundation for Environmental Education; Mohammed Chahim, European Parliament; Chiel Berends, European Commission. Each of them represents one of the five categories: Public administration, Business, NGO, Educational establishment, and citizens.
On 25 June 2020 one action per category will win the coveted EWWR 2019 prizes for their exceptional results! In addition, one action showing a spirit of cross-country cooperation will receive a European Special Prize.
Are you still standing at a crossroads? Join the event to hear motivating stories of behavioural change, and get inspired by a positive wind of positive change and hope! Make sure you register in advance here.
The EWWR Awards Ceremony, organised by ACR+ and the European Committee of the Regions, will take place on 25 June 2020 at 14:00 CEST and will be opened by Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries. Follow the EWWR on Twitter to receive the latest updates!
Register for the Awards Ceremony here!
Find all the details about the selected actions here.
