Now you can get to kayak for free on a few rivers and lakes in Europe, but only on one condition—you need to pick up garbage along the way. Scroll down to find out more. By Swastika Mukhopadhyay
Over the years, improper trash disposal has contaminated our water bodies and endangered the marine life. Addressing the rising problem of plastic pollution and water pollution, Denmark-based environmental group—GreenKayak, emerged with a solution. They are letting travellers kayak free as long as they pick up any trash that comes along their way. No, you do not need to be an experienced swimmer or a kayaker even.
For you to participate in this programme, you do not need to be an experienced kayaker or even a proper swimmer as you won’t be getting in the water. Most of your job is going to be just kayaking and picking up pieces of garbage that you come across. You will be provided with the basic kayaking gear—a life vest and a paddle along with a trash picker and a bucket for keeping the collected garbage. You will also get two-hours of free kayaking time.
Rising plastic pollution is a serious threat to the environment. There are many cases where aquatic animals and birds are found dead, with plastic waste inside their bodies. EU recently banned single use plastic items like cutlery and bags after realising the littering problem.
Talking about the programme, Tobias Weber-Andersen who is one of GreenKayak’s co-founder spoke to USA Today. “In Denmark, people hang out on canals and eat pizza and unfortunately see trash floating by,” he said. “You can’t take your shirt off and jump in, but you can get in a GreenKayak and make an impact.”
Since its launch, GreenKayakers have collected over 24,000 pounds of trash including plastic bottles, shoes, lighters, tote bags, and etc. This programme is operational in cities throughout Ireland, Germany, Norway and Denmark.
So, to sail through the European waters for free, you need to do your part for the environment as well. If you wish to be a part of this programme, you can sign up on GreenKayak’s website.
