Scientology carries out community cleanups in Saint-Denis for a sustainable local environment

Scientology carries out community cleanups in Saint-Denis for a sustainable local environment
Scientologists carry out community cleanups in Saint-Denis

French Scientologists are contributing to a healthier community in Saint-Denis, inspired by The Way to Happiness

SAINT-DENIS, FRANCE, February 9, 2023 – Maintaining cleanliness in parks is essential for the benefit of parkgoers and the environment, which is something more and more volunteers of Scientology are paying attention to. Parks provide a space for people to relax, exercise, and be outdoors in a safe and comfortable setting. Trash and debris can make parks unfriendly and uninviting, putting the health of their users at risk. Regular cleaning and maintenance of parks help ensure their longevity and usability.
Every person enjoys cleanliness, in general terms, even those who are “not used to it”. One of the key reasons to keep parks clean is to protect the local environment and wildlife. Parks often provide habitats for many species of birds, squirrels, and other mammals. Without regular cleaning, parks can become infested with litter and other pollutants that upset ecosystem balances and lead to the potential extinction of some animal species. This ends up influencing also human life in the villages, towns and cities.

The Way To Happiness
continues to serve as
a powerful reminder
that basic moral
principles can have
dramatic positive effects
on people’s lives and
society in general”

— Ivan Arjona Pelado

Scientologists have for a while now been carrying out community cleanup in Saint-Denis (close to Paris) as part of their application of The Way to Happiness (the common sense moral guide written by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard), cleaning parks to promote the natural regeneration of local vegetation and grass, as well as providing better air quality for all, but especially for the children that play in the streets.

Another important benefit of keeping parks clean is its effect on public health. When parks are full of trash and other contaminants, children, adults and the elderly are exposed to health hazards such as bacterial and viral infections because bacteria are more easily present in litter. That is one of the reasons Scientologists around the world join together to prevent this from happening, and organize community and park cleanups to eliminate hazardous materials from key community spaces.

In addition to protecting the environment and public health, clean parks and streets do benefit its users. “Unless parks are kept in a sanitary condition, users may feel uncomfortable visiting or taking part in activities in the area. People coming to relax or partake in a game of sports don’t want to be surrounded by unsightly rubbish and debris. To make the premises aesthetically pleasing, parks should be cleared of litter and trash regularly. This will help people get out of their houses to live part of the day in the community, which can also benefit their spiritual health and state of mind, and this is a good way to happiness” said Ivan Arjona, President of the European Office of the Church of Scientology for Public Affairs and Human Rights.

The Way to Happiness booklet, of which Scientologists have distributed millions of copies, also tackles the question of what is good, with a positive version of “The Golden Rule” that anyone can use to review how they are living their life and tweak it to make it better.

The volunteers’ cleanups inspired by the booklet, do not go unnoticed, and when people ask them why they are doing what they’re doing, they hand them a copy of The Way to Happiness. Knowing how the booklet has helped them in their own lives, it’s their pleasure to share it with others.

The Way to Happiness was first published in 1981, and it is composed of a series of twenty-one “moral concepts” that provide guidance on living a successful, full life. It has been translated into 114 languages so far and over 100 million copies have been distributed in circa 170 countries and territories, used by people the world over—from heads of state, mayors and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, to doctors, lawyers, local business leaders and community heads— as well as people of all faiths, to reverse the current moral decline.

The book begins by introducing the concept of a “moral code”, which is simply a set of principles that guide how a person ought to behave and treat others. The book suggests that a moral code can provide a meaningful, successful life and lead to greater harmony among humans.

The Way To Happiness was written by Mr Hubbard as a non-religious common sense moral code that can be followed and embraced by anyone regardless of their beliefs or faith. “Mr Hubbard was convinced that certain timeless principles were the key to a successful life and this book lays out what those basic principles are” continued Ivan Arjona.

“To this day, The Way To Happiness continues to serve as a powerful reminder that basic moral principles can have dramatic positive effects on people’s lives and society in general. A testament to its timeless message and its universality, The Way To Happiness will undoubtedly remain a foundational work for generations to come” concluded Arjona.

To learn more about The Way to Happiness, watch the unabridged book on film or learn how the booklet transforms the lives of people with its common-sense values bringing calm to communities torn by violence, peace to areas ravaged by civil strife, and self-respect to millions of individuals, documented in episodes of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

ScientologyEU Newsroom