About Me
"Together We Clean" first started as "NoTrashOnEuroVelo" - For those of you that don't know, it's a bike route through Europe.
After working in Corporations for about 12 years, I desperately felt that I need a change in my life. That I am not happy.
I changed countries and jobs for a few years from Wexford, Ireland, to London, UK to Amsterdam, NL.
I've changed places and jobs, hoping this time I'll be happy - Spoiler alert: I WASN'T! Well, only for short time, the "Honeymoon Period"
Then I would feel the same as I did in the previous job or country.
"Happiness comes from within" - A friend insisted with this quote on me, but I didn't know how to listen.
In 2024, April, I quit my job; sold and donated almost everything I had, booked a bus ticket to Paris, France. Just me and my bicycle.
I wanted to clear my mind, to take some time, and decide what to do, how and what to change, to feel happy again. Happy for long term.
I started cycling towards Spain, with the hope to reach Tenerife and cycle all the way up on Teide.
I never cycled more than 10 km in my life, but I didn't think about it. It felt right. On a Sunday night I ordered everything I needed for the trip and to convert the bike, and on Thursday I was off to a life-changing experience. Started cycling from Paris, France, I just took comfort in the bike path, and get used to the bike with all the luggage on. After about 2 days I've reached open nature and more rural places, and I was looking forward to some wild camping on my bikepacking adventure. Everything was new to me, but it was just what I needed. Each morning to wake up in a different place, lay 20 minutes in the sleeping bag in my tent, just listening to the birds chirping, watching the Sun rise and the world come to life. It was all amazing! I was impressed with the bike infrastructure, paths, charging stations, public drinking water on the way, most times isolated from traffic and everything and everyone. But then I started noticing...a can of drink there in the bush, a pack of cigarettes on the side of the road. A fast food meal bag... another one, and a bottle, and some more. At first, I kept going...but after a few days, I couldn't pass by ignorant anymore. It's the minimum I can do. Just to pick it up.
"I'm on a long journey anyway, and it's impossible not to find a bin on my way" - it's what I've told myself. Soon, two or three cans turned into 10, then some plastic bottles, then "I'll just add a bag here and fill it", then my bike started to look like a trash-truck.
SO MUCH TRASH! :(
It hurt me to see such beautiful places, with good infrastructure, having litter all on the sides of the paths...I collected and told no-one, just kept going.
At some point, I've taken a 6-weeks jobs in France to support my travel further as I ran into some unexpected issues with the bike on the way, then, after 6 weeks, I was back on it again! Back on the road, back to cycling, and collecting litter, aluminium cans, bottles, rubber, plastic...anything that wasn't supposed to be there, in nature. When I've reached Valencia, Spain, I ran out of money. My budget finished. I found on a local group a 1-day job to unload some bed frames off a truck, and with those money, I booked a flight Valencia - Tenerife. Me and my bike.
I needed Sun. I wanted Sun. I got Sun. Once landed in Tenerife, I joined an Animal Sanctuary, where I volunteered in taking care of the animals and some construction/electrical work for almost half year. I started going out on weekends, at the beach, with a bag, just collecting what wasn't supposed to be there, what the Ocean would wash at the shore. Mostly plastic and ropes, occasionally a barrel or even pallets... After a few times, other volunteers asked if they can join, and of course the progress was impressive! That clicked with me... "I could do this full time...because the Ocean also brings plastic full time. The waves don't stop, the waste keeps coming."
It was that time again, to pack my tent, jump on the bike, and go ahead, only this time, I had a goal, a purpose: to fight the trash in nature! As my money ended in Valencia, in September 2024, I came up with this idea to help me go further...and the idea is to ask you for help. Your role is important, as would help me going!
Motivation I have, waste there is, so let's make it happen!
Support me with a roll of trash bags, or a pair of gloves, or "buy some trash", that would help tremendously. As mentioned in the product page, I don't ship any trash to you, instead I fill a bag of waste, from the nature or beach, and post it with your username, message, or quote :)
I have no plan to return to a "normal life", and I hope this will work! Also, if you live in Tenerife, or plan to visit, you're more than welcome to message me, and we can go cleaning :)
When the summer will start on the continent, I will cycle again from Spain to Norway, and fight the waste on the way there! Follow my social media to keep track of my progress, of how many people unite and help, for the next projects and locations I'll get to...
(Each purchase is used just to get by, and any money SURPLUS will go as a donation to animal sanctuaries)
Thank you for helping me in making a difference :)