Clean Tuesday on Koh Phangan
Summary
Clean Phangan is a community-driven initiative dedicated to preserving the natural beauty of Koh Phangan island through weekly cleanup events. Every Tuesday at 8 a.m., volunteers gather to remove waste from beaches, jungles, and public spaces, promoting environmental awareness, responsible tourism, and community solidarity. The project is entirely grassroots, relying on local engagement and collaboration.
Short Term Goal
To maintain consistent weekly cleanups across different parts of the island, increase volunteer participation, and raise local and tourist awareness about proper waste disposal. Additionally, to document and verify the amount of waste collected each week to build a transparent record of environmental impact.
North Star
To make Koh Phangan a model zero-waste island through sustained community action, waste reduction education, and collaboration with local authorities and businesses. Ultimately, the goal is to inspire other islands and coastal communities to adopt similar self-organized cleanup and environmental stewardship models.
Author
The application is submitted by the web3 representative of Clean Phangan community - luminaenvisions, leader of ReFi Phangan and GreenPill Phangan, founder of DeCleanup Network.
The cleaning up crew is led by Alex Savkin - long-term island resident and eco-activist with years of experience in organizing cleanups, environmental education, and sustainable living practices. This is how it started by story from him: “For a long time, I worked as a journalist, and perhaps that's why I got used to looking for answers that naturally arise from life itself. I often worried that my beloved island of Phangan (Thailand) was drowning in trash. Whenever I visited one of the beaches littered with plastic, I tried to clean it up, collecting and hauling away a few bags of plastic bottles. Then I calculated that it would take me about seven years to clean just a small patch of shoreline on my own. One day, I invited some friends to join me in the cleanup... That's how our movement "Clean Phangan" was born.”
The group collaborates with local NGOs, schools, and businesses, and maintains a public presence on social media for transparency and outreach.
Success Metrics
- Number of weekly cleanup events held - 266 in 5 years
- Total volume or weight of waste collected over time - over 100 tons, around 35 tons sent to recycling
- Total number participants and volunteers - 5000
- Photo/video documentation of each cleanup - provided on their Facebook page and Telegram group
- Growth in local and tourist awareness or involvement
- Positive changes in waste patterns or hotspot pollution reduction
Other info
Volunteers of all ages are welcome, and tools such as gloves and bags are often provided. The project is entirely volunteer-based and welcomes collaborations, donations, and partnerships.
Team
Grant approval
The grant is currently in the idea stage and is not open for voting.