In 2023, the Scouts from Greece, Portugal and South Africa engaged around 700 scout patrols and teams from 125 cities in the Litter Less Campaign where activities took place to promote responsible consumption and production, to reduce litter and waste, to work with the circular economy model and to reduce invisible pollutants. 17,000 scouts and non-scouts alike took part in Litter Less Campaign activities.
South Africa: The Champions for Nature National Challenge in South Africa significantly impacted SCOUTS South Africa by promoting positive environmental actions through conscientious consumption. The initiative included the Litter Less clean-up efforts, which engaged members in improving local community cleanliness. The integration of Litter Less into the National Challenge resulted in doubled participation compared to previous years, emphasising its success.
During February and March 2023, 3,042 members from SCOUTS South Africa including young people and children, adult volunteers, and parents, dedicated approximately 6,084 hours to cleaning their local areas, contributing significantly towards the SDGs and the wellbeing of their communities.
Portugal: In Portugal, Scouts launched the Earth Tribe initiative in 2020, transitioning from the World Scout Environment Badge. The project revealed the need to familiarise local groups with the new programme and provide tailored resources. Inspired by the successful Litter Less Campaign, the project aimed to enhance awareness and participation in the Earth Tribe initiative by creating additional resources and fostering partnerships with environmental NGOs and local ambassadors.
Portuguese Scouts from Corpo Nacional de Escutas, in collaboration with the Oceano Azul Foundation and the Lisbon Oceanarium, led the successful Month of the Sea campaign. From November 5 to 27, 3,164 Scouts participated in 70 initiatives, cleaning 72.9 km of coastal areas and removing 11.9 tons of marine litter.
Greece: The Earth Tribe Initiative in Greece, part of the Litter Less Campaign 2023, focused on addressing Water Litter and engaging young community members. Despite being a new addition to the scout programme, Earth Tribe showed significant influence, attracted youth and fostered a culture of action. By leveraging best practices and tools from WOSM and FEE, the initiative aims to raise awareness about Water Litter and empower young people to engage in community development through Earth Tribe Challenges.
Each organisation promoted LLC on social media campaign across multiple platforms to raise awareness about litter issues and promoted campaign events, such as the beach clean-ups. Scouts organised workshops in various communities (schools, churches, community centres) to inform residents about the importance of reducing litter and proper waste disposal practices.
The Scouts coordinated a series of clean-up events, encouraging volunteers to participate in cleaning local areas. The campaigns raised awareness about the litter problem, reaching thousands of people through social media. Over 17,000 individuals (scouts and non-scouts) actively participated in clean-up events, providing a significant number of volunteer hours. The clean-up efforts resulted in the removal of considerable amounts of litter from public spaces, improving the cleanliness and aesthetics of local communities.
Workshops informed community members about the importance of reducing litter and adopting sustainable practices. The campaigns built a sense of responsibility and long-term commitment among participants to continue efforts towards a cleaner environment.