On the third Saturday of every September, National CleanUp Day is supported by over 225,000 participants in response to the question –
“What would our country be like if everyone went outside and picked up at least one piece of litter?”
I’d like to suggest there a more important question that I’ll address shortly . . .
The goal of the World CleanUp Day is to eliminate litter, community by community, across the nation. National CleanUp Day is now partnering with World CleanUp Day. World CleanUp Day is a global alliance headquartered in Estonia with the Let’s Do It World Foundation that has over150 countries with diverse cultures and millions of volunteers making this a monumental event.
“A key concept of National CleanUp Day is that, if you’re not having fun, you are doing it wrong.” National CleanUp Day co-founders Steve Jewett and Bill Willoughby explain.
Meaning, we should take pride and enjoy the accomplishment of caring for our planet,our communities, our families, and our lives.
There’s a deeper question, however.
When did we give ourselves permission to litter, not pick up dog feces, or throw cigarette butts on the ground for someone else to step over or clean up? When did we delegate to someone else the responsibility to clean up our mess?
What is this lazy, arrogant entitlement about?
Littering is an outcome of a deeper loss.
When did we lose sight of the joy and satisfaction of living our lives responsibly?
I attended a Rockies games last week. As I left my seat, walking through the trash in my path, I thought about how we’ve been given permission to trash a stadium and let someone else clean up after us.
You’ve, no doubt, heard about Japan’s view. They don’t litter.
You may recall Japan’s first World Cup soccer game on June 14, 1998 in Toulouse, France.
“The Japanese soccer team played their first World Cup match against Argentina on June 14th. The 33,000 plus game attendance was 70% Japanese, with an additional ticket-less 10,000 outside the Toulouse France stadium watching on a large screen. Despite their 1-0 loss, the Japanese players had said that it had felt as if they were in the National Stadium in Tokyo.
It was after the game that the Japanese showed their true colors. Dealing with the frustrating ticket scam and first-game loss, the Japanese fans still gave the world a lesson in courtesy, respect, and class by actually cleaning the soccer stadium seats. That’s right. They picked up all the trash around them whether it was theirs or not. To the point that some people were observed picking up the small pieces of confetti thrown after the game. They then walked out and deposited the trash in the garbage cans before exiting.
Finding the Japanese supporter areas cleaner after the game then it had been before astonished the stadium authorities. This, in turn, astonished the French media. Which in turn astonished the FIFA World Cup Organization.”
To find a cleanup nearest to you, please visit www.nationalcleanupday.org
One more thought – consider your own litter; how you’ve allowed yourself to trash your own life. What would happen if you would pick up just one piece of litter today in your own life? You know in your own heart that you’re meant to live in a more responsible, orderly way. Seriously! It’s time to take pride in who you are, to care for yourself, and to make the best possible decisions to live your highest quality of life.
If that seems like a lot to ask of yourself, contact me for a consultation – let’s talk about how I can help you to clean up your life, move from shame and disgrace, and move forward to the life you truly deserve – a life of joy and satisfaction. It will not come to you – you must reach for it and create it by letting go of what is no longer serving you.
