Geneva Clean-Up
Since 2020
The Geneva Clean-Up project was birthed out of the startling realization that despite its pristine appearance the famous Lac Léman suffers from significant pollution.
To tackle this problem, the Geneva Shapers come together several times a year to clean the shores of the lake and major connected waterways like the Rhône and Arve rivers. After picking up and properly disposing of the waste, we use an app developed by the Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman (ASL) to log the types, quantities and locations of waste collected, so this information reaches the local authorities in charge of water and waste management.
50 tons of microplastics end up in the lake each year and the second biggest contributor is littering.
+5'700Total waste collected
40 kgWaste in one cleanup
+50Participants
+10Action days
OUR PARTNER
We partner with local associations like Association pour la Sauvegarde du Léman (ASL) and student groups from the Geneva Graduate Institute to mobilize members of the Geneva community. When people participate in the clean ups, this project opens their eyes to the problem and often leaves a lasting impact on their awareness and personal behavior.
Littering - 2nd biggest contributor - is a problem that the local authorities, associations and nonprofits have been working to solve, but there’s still a lot more that needs to be done.
Facts
In 2018, a study was conducted to model the quantities of plastic waste that enter the Léman. It was estimated that about 50 tons of plastic enter the Léman annually. It was also estimated that 580 tons of plastic sediment sits at the bottom of the lake today.
