Clean up the World is a community-based environmental campaign that inspires and empowers communities from every corner of the globe to clean up, fix up and conserve their local environment.

Since the first campaign in 1993, Clean Up the World has inspired more than 40 million volunteers in over 100 countries each year to take action to improve their local environment. These volunteers include millions of young people. Schools, youth organisations, girl guide and boy scout groups are just a few examples of groups mobilising youth to act for the environment under the Clean Up the World banner.

Clean Up the World shares its Primary Partner UNEP’s vision to engage young people in environmental issues and provides a practical way for youth to take responsibility for their environment.  UNEP and Clean Up the World have worked together since the campaign’s inception and are continually strengthening the partnership. Through its Tunza Strategy UNEP continues to mobilise young people globally in support of the Clean Up the World campaign via initiatives such as the International Childrens and Youth Conferences and Tunza Youth Advisory Council network.

The Campaign

Clean Up the World promotes community action as the key to long-term environmental change. The campaign welcomes participation by people of all ages, from all nations and Members range from individual groups working independently in their local community, to national initiatives where the work of many groups is coordinated across an entire nation.

Clean Up the World encourages and supports Member activities year-round, while the third weekend in September (Clean Up the World Weekend) serves as a global celebration of Members’ environmental actions and achievements.

Want to get involved?
Register your school or community youth group as a Member and undertake a Clean Up event or environmental education program. Clean Up the World provides materials to assist, including a step-by-step Event Guide, Handbook, School Education Kit and environmental information sheets on a range of topics. Or you may prefer to volunteer with a group already conducting Clean Up the World activities.

Visit the International Member Search section of Clean Up the World’s website, to learn about Members active in your area.

Ocean Net, a CUW Member in Canada, conducts an annual youth conference on the ocean environment, incorporating a beach and shoreline cleanup. The Clean Up component takes place under the CUW banner and enables young conference participants to join with local community leaders, divers and other volunteers to clean up a designated section of coastline each year. The event includes pumpkin carving contests and a beach BBQ and is a great example of environmental initiatives for youth that are educational, practical and fun!

Life-Link Friendship Schools, headquartered in Upsala, Sweden promotes contact and cooperation between young people around the world, through active participation in shared projects, including the environment. Life-Link has more than 250 participating schools in over 60 countries and uses the CUW campaign as a core activity within its Care for Nature program offering. Schools are encouraged to join the campaign, coordinate a Clean Up and/or education activities and promote their results to the school and broader communities.

Georgia “I’m very happy to work with the children and to see how you with your little hands are cleaning out big globe!”, 86 year old participant commenting on the importance of youth involvement in Clean Up the World campaign

Kazakhstan “…there is joy simply in the fact that the children themselves took the initiative, striving to make their own street, their own city and their own planet cleaner and prettier.” Clean Up Coordinator, Taraz

Fiji “…Two-thirds of participants in the Clean Up Fiji Day campaign were children. (The children) are the leaders of tomorrow, and it is so important that they learn about caring for our environment early”. “….Clean Up Fiji will focus on a schools day campaign next year. We are going to focus on the youth as they are the future of the planet." Caz Tebbutt, Chairperson Clean Up Fiji