Nanda van den Ham
Being outside. The canals of Alkmaar. Nanda thrives on it. No wonder she was looking for a way to get out into the fresh air more often.
She eventually found it on the water. On a SUP board, to be precise. She sails down the canals on her board, looking for litter to clean up. Sometimes she does this alone, but people often join her during these clean-ups. "Together we can make a difference."
SUP stands for Stand Up Paddling: standing on a board, you move across the water by paddling.
“My mission is to make the world a little bit better every day. I always used to pick up litter from the water with my SUP, sort it, and recycle as much as possible. I built on that idea and ended up founding El Kombi. We now regularly organize clean-up campaigns in the canals of Alkmaar. Anyone who wants to help is welcome to join us for free.”
Zero Waste
"The less waste we create, the better. Small changes can make a big difference." A good example is bringing your own cup, container, and cutlery when you buy something to eat. By distributing stickers to shops and restaurants in Alkmaar that sell unpackaged food, Nanda hopes to get as many businesses and individuals as possible on board with this transition. She also hopes that people will realize that today's consumer society is taking a heavy toll on our planet. "If everyone does their bit—and it doesn't have to be a drastic change—we can all make the world a little bit better. Because, actually, in a few years' time, I want my cleaning sessions to be redundant!"
Fortunately, we are seeing a positive change. Disposable cups are often being replaced by reusable cups, balloons by fabric flags, and items are being secured better on boats so that they don't blow away while underway. People are already more aware and are acting accordingly. How wonderful is that!