Over 50 Local Residents and Related Organizations Participate
'SNS Certification' Challenge Spreads Awareness
Gokseong County held a plogging event on the 30th at the Seomjin River floodplain wetland to celebrate World Environment Day, with the participation of about 50 people including local residents, county office staff, officials from the Yeongsangang River Basin Environmental Office, and members of the Green Gokseong 21 Practice Council. Photo by Gokseong County
On May 30, Gokseong County in South Jeolla Province announced that it had held a plogging event at the Seomjin River floodplain wetland area in anticipation of World Environment Day, which falls on June 5.
Plogging is an eco-friendly activity that combines the Swedish word "plocka upp" (to pick up) and the English word "jogging," and involves picking up litter while jogging.
The plogging event was organized to put into practice this year's World Environment Day theme, "Beat Plastic Pollution." About 50 people participated, including local residents, staff from Gokseong County, officials from the Yeongsangang River Basin Environmental Office, and members of the Green Gokseong 21 Practice Council.
Participants collected plastic, vinyl, and other litter left along the rivers, focusing on the floodplain wetland where the Gokseongcheon, Ogokcheon, and Seomjin rivers meet, working up a sweat as they cleaned the area.
In particular, the process of collecting and sorting the recyclable plastics was filmed, and participants shared these activities on social media, helping to build public awareness and encourage action toward ending plastic pollution.
A county official stated, "This plogging event at the floodplain wetland is significant not only as a simple cleanup activity, but also because it translated empathy for environmental issues into real action. As individual responsibility accumulates and leads to a shift in civic consciousness, it ultimately drives changes in systems and policies and becomes the driving force for creating a sustainable environment. We will continue to make various efforts to spread small, everyday actions for the environment."
Meanwhile, the official international event for World Environment Day will be jointly hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Korean government in Jeju Island on June 4 and 5. This is the first time in 28 years, since 1997, that the event is being held in Korea, and it will feature a range of programs including a ministerial forum, technical seminars, and global action campaigns.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
