Volunteer for the environment: "Green Angel" for André Wacke from Penzberg

Created: 09/22/2022, 14:34

By: Andreas Baer

Coin and certificate: André Wacke (left) from Penzberg received the “Green Angel” from Environment Minister Thorsten Faithr.

© Ministry of State

Penzberg - Great award for André Wacke: The Penzberger was awarded the "Green Angel" for his garbage collection on the Loisach.

"The protection of nature and the environment is an important joint task": This is what the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection says.

Voluntary helpers would make “an indispensable contribution” to the preservation of biodiversity in the Free State.

Their commitment has now been honored by Environment Minister Thorsten Faithr (FW) with "Green Angels" and "Green Junior Angels".

22 volunteers from Upper Bavaria and Lower Bavaria received the award - including André Wacke, a Penzberger.

Honor for volunteer work

On the occasion of the "European Year of Volunteering 2011", the "Green Angel" award was presented for the first time.

The award consists of a certificate and a badge of honour.

According to the Munich Ministry of the Environment, the special award is given for "exemplary achievements and long-term, sustainable, voluntary commitment in the environmental sector".

Listed are, for example, species protection mapping, recording and creation of red lists and atlases, species support, protection and care projects, work in the nature conservation watch and in nature conservation advisory boards as well as natural history tours.

Recently back on the Loisach

Penzberger André Wacke has been active in the field of "garbage" for several years.

He regularly rides with his colleagues on stand up paddles (SUP) and boats on the Loisach and collects the legacies of modern civilized society.

Only recently, the activists were out and about again and had collected tons of rubbish.

Wacke received the award on Monday (September 19) in the Maximilian Hall of the Upper Bavarian Government from Minister Glauber.

The politician paid tribute to the commitment of the Penzberger, who in his free time is involved in garbage collection campaigns for clean waters "and thus for the protection of our livelihoods".

In his laudatory speech, Glauber emphasized Wacke's motto "Don't just talk, but also get down to it yourself", thereby freeing "our homeland" from rubbish.

"A great idea that also saves the communities and ultimately us taxpayers a lot of money." In addition, Wacke would sensitize people with its advertising campaigns and thus create awareness "of responsible behavior in nature".

Prize last 2020 to Penzberger

A Penzberger last received the "Green Angel" in 2020: Walter Heussler received the award for his decades of service as a nature conservation guard, beaver advisor and for his natural history educational work with young people.