August 4, 2026
Changing the world does not always look the way you imagine it. Sometimes it starts with a free kayak and a simple thought: this seems like a good idea.
Ordinary people, given the right opportunity and a reason to show up, do remarkable things without even realising it. They get outside, connect with the nature around them, bring their friends along, and somewhere in the middle of all of that, quietly make the world a little better than they found it. That is the whole idea behind GreenKayak. And nobody embodies it better right now than Teodor Jonassen.
Two Years, 50 Trips Later, and Nearly 600kg of Trash
Teo booked his first GreenKayak two years ago because the idea made sense. Explore Copenhagen from the water, leave the canals a little cleaner, get some fresh air and exercise while he was at it. He liked it so much he came back. More than 50 trips later he has become our number one paddler, with 567 kilograms of trash pulled from the water (and counting) and the top spot on our leaderboard. A record he never set out to break.
When he reached out to tell us, he led with a thank you rather than the numbers. He called himself a pretty good example of how well the idea works. And then he said something that stuck with us.
“You created something where picking up trash doesn’t feel like work. It’s just a great experience where you also happen to do something good along the way.”
We took him out for a paddle on the water to hear more.
A Mission That Makes It Different
Ask Teo what keeps bringing him back and he talks about purpose. Going for a run or kayak trip in a straight line until you hit a distance is fine, but GreenKayak gives you something to actually do out there while getting in a good workout.
“When you go on GreenKayak there is a mission behind it. You are trying to find trash rather than just going for a 5k run or kayaking in a straight line until you hit a distance.”
He calls it a trash hunt. You move through the quiet corners of the canal, into the dead ends where trash collects and nobody else reaches, and you look for whatever the city has left behind. Sometimes it is bottles and bags, sometimes it is big pieces of trash like tires and boat parts. The bigger the find, the better the story (and the weigh in).
That sense of purpose is what turned one trip into over fifty with 597 kg of trash hauled from the water!
All His Buddies Have Jumped On Board
What started as something Teo did alone has become a great way to build friendships, old and new.
“Whenever people want to hang out I always invite my friends to join along. All of my friends have gone with me at this point.”
A GreenKayak trip turns out to be a genuinely good way to spend time with someone. You are on the water, you have a goal, and the activity gives you something to bond over together. He has also ended up chatting to curious strangers along the way and sparking conversations. Just one of the many benefits to GreenKayaking!
For Anyone Still On the Fence
If you have been curious but not quite ready to try it, Teo has one thing he wants you to hear.
“Some might be afraid that you might get dirty but you really don’t. It’s cleaner and easier than you might think it is.”
The canals are calmer than they look. You will not come home soaked. What you will come home with is a full bucket and the satisfaction of having actually done something useful with your morning.
What His Story Means to Us
Teo did not plan to become our number one paddler. He just kept showing up because it felt good and gave him a reason to be on the water with a purpose. In doing that, consistently and quietly over two years, he became one of the clearest examples we have of what GreenKayak can be for someone.
Environmental action does not have to feel like a duty. It can feel like a great morning or fun adventure after work. Teo figured that out over 50 trips and 597 kilos of trash ago. We hope you find that sense of joy too.
Want to Paddle for Cleaner Oceans, Too?
Book your free GreenKayak trip in the GreenKayak app. Who knows? Maybe you could take the number one spot in the leaderboard 🙂
