This Coimbatore-based marathon enthusiast is paving the way for an eco-friendly routine
Thirty-nine-year-old Srini Swaminathan is not only keeping himself fit, but is also cleaning up the path he takes during his runs..
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Today, when we go on our morning walks or go for a run, plastic waste littered on the streets is a common sight.
While promoting environmental awareness is the need of the hour, not many people go beyond their immediate surroundings to clean up the place.
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Srini Swaminathan (Image: Indulge Express)
But 39-year-old Srini Swaminathan has taken up the cause of keeping his city and his surroundings clean by going on a cleanliness drive.
The Coimbatore-based marathon enthusiast is running to keep himself fit, and has also been picking up the trash on roads during his runs since 2013.
During the 12 km run, #BNPEndurathon conducted in Borivali National Park, Mumbai on July 27, Swaminathan collected over 35 kg of plastic trash thrown by tourists, commuters, locals, and runners in over 3.5 hours.
Speaking to NDTV about his latest feat, Srini said,
“I picked up 200+ chips namkeen packets, 100+ single-use plastic spoons, 200+ PET water/soft drink bottles, 100+ plastic carry bags, 30+ alcohol bottles, and 100+ gutka and biscuit packets. These all are the ‘convenience’ plastic waste we are generating and that I wish to change in the coming future. We all are so dependent towards these things that we don’t realise how we are polluting the environment. Plastic waste is one of the biggest problems we are facing today, and it is high time we start thinking about the solutions.”
Once the waste is collected, he segregates it and sells it to the rag pickers. Waste such as wrappers, plastic bags, and poly bags, which cannot be sold, is dumped into municipal bins.
Srini Swaminathan (Image: NDTV)
Srini says, our municipalities are not well equipped with the recycling facilities.
However, Srini’s clean drive was not something he aimed to do since his childhood. It all started after he witnessed a lot of trash on the streets on a daily basis. Since 2013, Srini has been going around the cities through his ‘Plog journey’. He said,
“The decision to start something like Plogging and doing my bit to clean the planet I live in started because of my learnings and readings. I have always been a very environmentally conscious person, and was conscious of how much waste I am generating or how I can reduce my carbon footprint. In 2009, I took up running for the sake of my health, and I asked this question that if I am doing this for my health, is there something I can do for the environment as well.”
Besides this, Srini is also known for taking up other noble causes. For instance, Srini, who has been running for the past 10 years, has also been working to provide solar lights to many night schools in Rajasthan.
A passionate runner, Srini is an alumnus of BITS Pilani and has volunteered for Teach For India. He taught the children of Dharavi, Mumbai, for two years till 2011, reports Indulge Express.
Expressing his concern and trying to motivate others, he said,
“Let’s just leave the world in a good way – be it for humans or animals. We should not wait for the heroes to do something for the environment, we should become one,” reports NDTV.
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