Support Camino Cleanup

KARIN KISER, BESTSELLING AUTHOR & TRANSFORMATIONAL COACH

During my first Camino in 2011, I was disheartened by the amount of trash I saw along the route. I was determined to play a part in leaving the Camino in better condition than when I found it. That opportunity came six years later when I served as a hospitalera in Galicia. During the two-weeks there I took responsibility for the 3km stretch on either side of the pilgrim hostel and rounded up a dozen bags of waste.

The experience was not without its surprises. More than one passing pilgrim snapped a photo of me collecting trash. Another pilgrim, despite the obvious weight of his backpack, bent down to pick up an empty can on his side of the path, walked over to me with a huge smile and deposited it in my bag. Not a word was spoken between us. It was a moment in equal parts touching and humbling. It inspired me to continue.

Rather than hike the northern routes as planned, I returned to Roncesvalles to resume my cleanup effort, collecting 65 bags of trash along the camino francés. The experience added a new dimension to my work. I decided then that part of the proceeds from my books would be used to support cleanup efforts along the Camino.

Here’s how you can make a difference too

BUY A BOOK

Part of the proceeds from the sale of each book goes toward keeping the Camino clean.

Your Inner Camino Your Pocket Guide to Inspiration and Transformation Along the Camino de Santiago
Some walk the Camino as an adventure or physical challenge. To make it a pilgrimage requires something more – the inner journey. With Your Inner Camino, you’ll discover how to let go of the thoughts and behaviors that limit your growth and happiness. Use it to inspire you along the way. You’ll discover how walking the Camino is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to clean the slate and start anew.

After the Camino Your Pocket Guide to Integrating the Camino de Santiago into Your Daily Life
The real camino begins after you arrive in Santiago, when you take your experience home with you. How will you keep the spirit of the Camino alive in your daily life? After the Camino will help you avoid returning to the old habits and routines of your pre-Camino life. You’ll discover how to simplify your life and live the pilgrim way at home.

TAKE A POSTCARD

Learn proper bathroom protocol on the Camino and share this information with other pilgrims. These bilingual postcards are available free of charge in packs of 12 (although we ask for a small donation to cover the shipping costs to you). Take the postcards with you on your next pilgrimage and ask the albergues where you stay to post them in their bathrooms for all pilgrims to see. You can request your postcards via the email below and use the donate button at the bottom to contribute to shipping costs.

JOIN ME ON THE TRAIL

Spend a week with me in Spain as part of my Camino Cleanup Program & Retreat, where we take care of ourselves and the planet. In May 2024, we will pick up trash and recyclables along a 60-mile section of the camino francés from Ponferrada to Sarria, while giving our bodies and minds a welcome break from everyday routines and concerns. Enjoy daily exercise, a digital detox, stretching, light therapy sessions, massage and more. Includes a six-week prep period online to prepare our minds and bodies for the journey. Limited to 7 adventurers. The days in Spain will be May 18-25, 2024 and the online program leading up to the trip begins April 8, 2024.

Email support@KarinKiser.com for program details.

PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW TRADITION

Support a new pilgrim tradition by picking up one piece of litter each day. We pilgrims already carry a shell on our backpacks and a stone in our pocket for the Cruz de Ferro. Why not one piece of daily litter as a way of giving thanks to the Camino? If every pilgrim who starts in St Jean Pied de Port did this, that would equal more than one million pieces of rubbish collected by a small fraction of pilgrims. Imagine what the Camino (and the world) will be like when this tradition catches on.

DONATE TO THE CAUSE

Your donation helps keep the Camino clean. Donations are used to purchase trash collection tools such as eco-friendly gloves and waste bags, and to support groups, organizations and individuals in their Camino cleanup efforts. Thus far, Camino Chronicles Press has donated $1,626 for collection supplies, outreach efforts and to pilgrim organizations, as well as $14,369 worth of books. Every dollar makes a difference!