The Swedish Ambassador Ann Måwe released the latest activity memo on 16 November 2020 that said:
Sustainability and combating climate change are high priorities for the Swedish government.
That’s why the embassy happily joined our Alumni network SANV on Sunday 15 November 2020 when they organised a clothes swapping and “plogging” event.
Why swap clothes? The answer is very simple – to upgrade your closet in a climate-friendly way. The garments that you are tired of or that no longer fit are new and fun for someone else. The life of the clothes will be extended and we contribute to a better environment. Many people shop for clothes despite overflowing closets. The purpose of clothes swap is to encourage people to shop less and throw out fewer clothes.
Plogging is a Swedish invention which combines jogging with picking up litter. This time the focus was on plastic waste, to match the on-going “Plastic challenge”. We went plogging around “Dialogue lake”. Why does this matter? Plastic pollution is most visible in developing Asian and African nations, where waste collection systems are often inefficient with low recycling rates. Today, single-use plastics account for 40 percent of the plastic produced every year. Many of these products, such as plastic bags and food wrappers, have a lifespan of only a few minutes to hours, but if they become litter, it could take at least 400 years to break down.
How we can prevent plastic waste from entering rivers and seas in the first place? This could be accomplished through increasing awareness in communities and businesses and by changing behaviour regarding plastic consumption. But also through improved waste management systems and recycling, better product design that takes into account the short life of disposable packaging, and reduction in manufacturing of unnecessary single-use plastics.
Stayed tuned for more activities with a focus on sustainability coming up in the coming weeks.
