The Double Toxicity of Litter

Plogging, to me, is about removing the toxic potential of litter. That’s why I focus on picking up plastics—because they’re doubly dangerous. Plastics not only contain harmful chemicals; they also act like sponges, soaking up toxins from their surroundings and releasing them as they break down. They are physical poisons.

But litter has another kind of toxicity: a psychological one.

I recently returned from ten days in New Zealand to find our suburb strewn with rubbish. My wife and I usually plog three times a week, but in our absence, the area had visibly deteriorated. I’m not someone who usually feels down, but I found it depressing. I wanted to go back to New Zealand.

Instead, I’m going out this morning for an extra plogging session. I refuse to live in a pigsty that’s toxic in both body and mind.