Hi there and welcome to e-mail newsletter #28!

This message goes to my 124 subscribers, with a big Thank you for signing up. If you have not yet explored the OneBeautifulPlanet.org Newsletter archive, check it out. I wrote the first issue in June 2023, and an overview of the weekly newsletter effort at the 100 subscriber milestone several weeks ago.

Bye Bye 2023!

As we conclude 2023, today I am deviating from the usual weekly newsletter outline, to welcome you to the first annual report of www.OneBeautifulPlanet.org!

Below are a few metrics for this inaugural year, organized in five different categories: 1. gaining and sharing knowledge, 2. supporting and 3. taking environmental action, 4. building community through my weekly email newsletter, and 5. growing a presence online:

1. Knowledge and Education

In 2023 I took several classes on Udemy.com, on topics ranging from environmental science, to plastics, and recycling. I also enrolled in the Terra.do Learning for Action 12-week online course on climate change fundamentals, listened to hundreds of podcast episodes on environmental topics (I am on the road a lot…), and overall was able to publish the following:

• 8 educational articles on environmental topics, plastics, recycling, and climate change

• 6 posts under the Action category, with detailed reviews of litter cleanup apps, tools, as well as highlights of my environmental cleanups

• 8 blog posts, on topics like volunteering, inspiring figures like Afroz Shah or MacKenzie Scott, event notes, solo vs group cleanups, and even environmental humor

• 2 guest posts on websites such as Keep Massachusetts Beautiful and Clean Something for Nothing on topics related to cleaning up litter.

2. Organizations Supported

Financial contributions were made to the below organizations involved in environmental action, cleanups, and beautification:

• Bucks Beautiful - PA

• Glitter - PA

• Green Amendments for the Generations - PA

• Living Lands & Waters - IL

• Keep Massachusetts Beautiful - MA

• Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful - PA

• Keep Virginia Cozy - VA

• Responsible Stewardship - TN

• Spearhead Project Earth - PA

• Trellis For Tomorrow - PA 

More information about these organizations is included on the Partners in Environmental Action page, also linked below.

3. Cleanups

In 2023 I volunteered 43 hours in 40 cleanups. The majority were solo endeavors, while 7 were with other volunteers. I collected and removed a total of 467 lbs. of litter from nature, roadside, and our built environments. Several cleanups were done while traveling, to destinations such as Boston MA, Buffalo NY, Washington DC, Pittsburgh PA, and even Runaway Bay Jamaica.

Three cleanups were with larger groups (6+ volunteers), which led to a total of more than 15,000 lbs. and 93 tires. The highlight was the Schuylkill River Cleanup in August which involved more than 100 volunteers!

Here’s a summary of all cleanups, with locations, quantities, and some high level comments:

I track cleanups on three main litter apps: Pirika, Clean Something for Nothing, and Cleanup, and also posted summaries on Reddit.com/r/DeTrashed/. Occasionally I post the cleanups on Facebook, Nextdoor, and Instagram as well.

4. Newsletter Effort

5. Web Page Traffic

Website traffic has been gradually climbing as well. Total visits are approx. 2,400, of which 1,800 are unique visitors:

Overall, I am glad I started this effort as I have been dreaming about it for a long time! It feels great to summarize results today, and I am thankful for having been able to get it off the ground.

Thank you for reading this far - you all are helping me remain accountable! - and here’s to a healthy, productive, and cleaner 2024!!

Razvan

Mindset

“Let no one be deluded that a knowledge of the path can substitute for putting one foot in front of the other."

— Mary Caroline Richards (1916-1999)

In the Works

On the action front, I cleaned at Tyler State Park, in Bucks County, PA, for the second time this year. As with every cleanup, there are always unexpected and interesting findings. For this one, it was a set of neon tubes sprinkled all over a creek and wooded area leading to Neshaminy Creek. Most likely they had been carried there after the recent heavy rain, and stayed behind after water had receded.

The full 2023 annual report is linked below, together with the new Partners in Environmental Action page. Take a look at these wonderful, handpicked organizations, and please consider supporting them as well.

If you are wondering about the cartoon, it is made with Dall-E-2, an artificial intelligence software system that can create realistic images and art from a verbal description: my input command here was “Japanese ukiyo-e style art of five mighty and powerful environmental superheroes with their yellow and orange vests, litter pickup tools, filled trash bags, all standing next to each other like a rock band“.

Happy New Year!!!

If you found this newsletter helpful or interesting, please share with your friends, contacts, or anyone you know who may benefit from following my journey. Let’s gain some knowledge, and take action toward a cleaner, healthier world!

Thank you.

Razvan