“Tillsammans stoppar vi skräpet!” Together we stop the litter. That’s the slogan of Håll Sverige Rent. This is more than just words. It is a call to action.
Håll Sverige Rent is a non-profit foundation. It was founded October 12, 1983. Naturvårdsverket and Returpack were its founders. The foundation works to prevent littering. It also promotes recycling. It strives to increase environmental awareness.
The Keep Sweden Tidy Foundation has its roots in an earlier campaign. That campaign was called Keep Nature Clean. The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation started it in 1962.
The logo of Håll Sverige Rent is iconic. It originated in 1962. It features the foundation’s name. The name is enclosed by identical triangles. One triangle sits above and one below. Originally, the top triangle was green. The bottom one was blue. They symbolized a green forest. The forest was reflected in a clean lake. The logo initially featured the text “Keep Nature Clean”. Later, it was changed to “Keep Sweden Tidy”. Since 2016, the logo is monochrome. It is a blend of the previous green and blue. This change made it more urban. It also made it more inclusive.
Håll Sverige Rent organizes the “Skräpplockardagarna” campaign. This happens every spring. Preschools, schools, and youth associations participate. They learn about the consequences of littering. They pick up litter to improve their local area. Many municipalities participate too. They help collect the litter safely.
Håll Sverige Rent also participates in World Cleanup Day. It organizes “Hela Sverige Plockar Skräp”. This campaign is for adults, families, and companies.
The problem of litter is bigger than you think. Litter is everywhere. It is in cities and in nature. It is even in the sea. Litter harms animals. It damages the environment. It creates insecurity. Littering costs society a lot of money each year.
Marine litter is a major environmental problem. The oceans are becoming giant dumps. Nobody is responsible for cleaning them. The amount of litter increases every year. If nothing is done, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans by 2050.
Håll Sverige Rent works to prevent and counteract littering. It gathers knowledge. It influences public opinion. It develops tools and solutions to stop litter. The organization has around 30 employees. Johanna Ragnartz is the CEO. Berit Oscarsson is the chairman of the board. The board includes representatives from various organizations. These include the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. They also include the Swedish Tourist Association.