We are often faced with the need to clean our house while at the same time urged to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Tidying up can be positively life changing for us as individuals but then adding to the general thrash can be negatively life changing for our societies. How do we go about reconciling our need to declutter our life with society’s need to reduce its trash? The workshop “Declutter your life – 20 things to throw out and how to dispose of them” is an interactive workshop that will seek precisely to do this.

The workshop will have two parts:

During the first part of the interactive workshop, participants will write down a list of 20 things to throw away, and commit themselves to do so in a responsible way, thus taking a first big step to clearing the clutter from their life and feel “lighter” and more energized immediately. In the words of Gail Blanke, “You can’t grow if you don’t let go.” After an introduction, this session includes time with oneself, in order to draw up one’s list and get in touch with one’s feelings when letting go, whether misgivings, fears or elation, followed by a getting together in a circle where one can share, clarify and celebrate.

The second part of the interactive workshop will be a seminar type format with a panel of persons representing good practice initiatives, that will inspire participants to dispose of their trash in such a way that not only does it not harm the environment, but can even benefit others.
These good practice initiatives will be represented through the 3Rs:

Reduces: initiatives that aim at changing consumer behavior by promoting the inclusion of sustainability aspects in purchase decisions

Reuse: initiatives that aim at reminding participants that products can have a second life, at promoting repair or reuse of products instead of purchasing new ones, and at encouraging the donation of products that are no longer needed.

Recycle: initiatives to promoting waste sorting and recycling and initiatives that aim at helping people to improve their waste-sorting behavior.
At the end of the workshop we will have and organic lunch, to end off our session together and informally with a meal cooked with love, local products and making use of eco-friendly packaging that was sourced sustainably and is 100% compostable.

The methodology is based on two fundamental aspects: the use of Social Media tools and the effectiveness of the cooperation with local organizations working together in the field.
This action, will be promoting in line within the European Week for Waste Reduction 2016. The resulting outcomes and the initiatives arising from the realization of the workshop will be published on our Facebook page through the use of different media to continue with the awareness-raising about waste-sorting, declutter and recycle.
We will cooperate with other local organizations that are working in the field, as they will expose in the workshop, good practices and initiatives they are using to make a positive impact in waste reduction.