Global Impact Network inc, USA based organization that measures the impact on the environment, as described by the 17 SDGs created by the UN, has conferred Global Impact Ambassador to Ripu Daman Bevli aka Plogman of India. He was selected amongst the world’s first 100 Global Impact Citizens. Ripu Daman Bevli was selected on the basis of the positive impact he has created globally and his contribution is noteworthy in creating awareness in the society against littering and single use plastic through innovative ways.
Ripu is the Pioneer of the Litter Free movement and created Ploggers of India. Ripu has been organizing regular cleanups and workshops with local residential complexes, schools, NGOs etc across the country.
Till date he has organized close to 500 clean ups across the 75+ cities. In 2019, he ran and cleaned up across 50 cities in 2 months making it an unprecedented campaign in the world. The Prime Minister congratulated him for the success and the Government of India adopted his mission by naming him the Plogging Ambassador of India. Close to a crore people have participated in the movement.
He also holds the world record for the longest plogging run of 50 KMs which he completed in 9 hours and 15 mins in Kota, Rajasthan in January 2020. He initiated the campaign Plastic Upvaas. The campaign asks the participants to “why not fast on that one thing which is destroying everybody’s health and the planet at the same time — single use plastic”. And the participants started shunning just one thing like plastic bottles, bags, straws etc. It provides people the push they need, to take that first step towards a more sustainable living.
In his own words Ripu Daman Bevli, “My goal is to make India Litter Free and for that we need to get the entire country of 1.3 billion people together. Becoming a part of this community would give an opportunity to share our learning from across the world, and what more innovative ways we could engage and take our message to a larger population.”
He further added that the problem of waste and littering is a global problem and should be tackled at a global level combining policies and public participation. This would also give me an opportunity to learn about various policies which are successful in other parts to push those with our policy makers. The world’s problems have to be solved through collaboration between policymakers and citizens.In the words of Tatiana Sharpe, CEO – Global Impact Network , “ We believe that Ripu will indeed inspire not only India but a litter free world!’.
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