Supporting local communities during Geocycle Week 2024
Geocycle teams worldwide came together from November 4-15, 2024, to support their local communities for Geocycle Week.
To mark the occasion, our employees hosted clean-up events, volunteering activities and learning opportunities.
Together, they spread the word about the importance of recycling and waste management to help build a cleaner, greener world.
Discover how some of our teams got involved with their local communities!
Egypt: cleaning up the Nile River
The second longest river in the world and the life source of civilizations for centuries, the Nile River is unfortunately becoming increasingly polluted.
To help preserve this iconic waterway, nearly 50 employees from Geocycle Egypt got together with VeryNile on Qursaya island to remove plastic waste and debris from the river.
VeryNile is an organization dedicated not only to cleaning the river but also improving local lives. In partnership with local fishing communities, the company removes 25 to 35 tons of plastic waste from the water each month.
Following the clean-up, members of the Geocycle team participated in an upcycling activity to transform old plastic bags into new products such as pouches and wallets.
Poland: bees, office plants and engaging with future generations
Autumn is a crucial time for bees. It’s when they prepare for winter to ensure their survival during the colder weather. That’s why, as part of Geocycle Week, the team at the Malogoszcz Cement Plant in Poland took the opportunity to take care of their eight bee colonies.
Caring for the apiary includes ensuring proper nutrients for the bees in the form of sucrose, as well as helping to control parasites. The hives were also surrounded with new pollinator-friendly plants to provide the bees with an additional food source throughout the winter.
Employees took extra time to care for the office plants too, bringing a little greenery and oxygen indoors.
In addition to saving the bees, the team also held a children’s drawing contest around the theme “I think ECOlogically.” The topic encouraged the children to illustrate activities that impact the environment, with the aim of fostering a deeper understanding of the importance of caring for the planet.
Algeria: inspiring future generations
Our team in Algeria’s goal for Geocycle Week 2024 was to spark environmental awareness among the changemakers of tomorrow.
5th-grade students from neighboring schools were invited to the Oggaz plant for a day of discovery.
The students took part in a variety of interactive waste sorting and recycling workshops. Through this immersion, the children learned more about the importance of waste recovery and its environmental impact.
Greece: tree planting, coastal cleanups and collaboration
For the teams in Greece, Geocycle Week was an opportunity to take part in initiatives to support both the local community and the surrounding environment.
Geocycle Hellas donated 200 plants to the municipality of Marathon to enhance the region’s coastal zone. The team got together with HERACLES employees to plant some of the donated trees and clean up the coast at Brexiza Beach in Nea Makri. The humanitarian organizations We4ALL and HELMEPA (Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association) were also on hand to provide valuable guidance to volunteers. The region’s Mayor and Deputy Mayor even attended in person to express their gratitude to the teams for their dedication.
To top off Geocycle Week, team members engaged with daily informative content including recycling tips and tricks, and insights into other environmental topics.
Hungary: upcycling and waste collection
Hungary organized two big events for Geocycle Week 2024: a textile upcycling workshop and a waste collection day.
During the first session of the workshop, a group of six Geocycle Hungary team members gathered to begin repurposing old clothes into new cosmetic bags. The clothes were sorted and cut into the ideal shape for their second life.
The plan is for additional team members to sew the pieces together and put the finishing touches on the bags at a later date. Around 50 bags in total will be created to give to local schoolgirls to mark International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025.
Our colleagues and operations worldwide act on our commitment to local communities daily.
Geocycle teams in 25 countries worked hard to plan events and give back to their local communities during Geocycle Week 2024. As our annual event, this is just one example of Geocycle's ongoing commitment to supporting communities.
Our colleagues and operations worldwide act on this commitment daily.
Congratulations to all the participating countries and our dedicated people who made it possible. We look forward to celebrating Geocycle Week and making a difference for years to come!
