New Delhi (NVI): Step by step, 22-year-old Sam Bencheghib is on a journey to spread awareness on ocean plastic pollution. The young activist recently ran over 3,000 miles across the United States recently to make people believe in how small steps taken in the right direction can rid the world of plastic waste
On July 26, 2019, Sam asked a crowd of friends, supporters and media gathered around him, to take two deep breaths as a reminder of the importance that the oceans have in giving life, says a report by UN environment programme.
Freshly graduated from college, Sam Bencheghib, embarked on a cross country trek to raise awareness on the major environmental issue.
Bencheghib embarked upon a 3,100-mile run across the United States of America from coast to coast. He ran on an average 20 miles per day for six months, running from New York City to Los Angeles. The journey took him across 13 states, through mountains, fields, dirt roads and highways. He withstood scorching heat at some points and icy air at others.
Growing up in Bali, Bencheghib and his siblings Gary and Kelly were directly confronted with the impact that plastic pollution has on the environment. According to Gary Bencheghib, “It was everywhere and you could not look away from it.”
Barely, teenagers, they founded Make a Change Bali (now Make a Change World)—a youth-led environmental organization with the goal of cleaning the coastlines.
Bencheghib’s Make a Change World project is in line with the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Clean Seas campaign, whose goal is to galvanize change amongst all stakeholders.
The campaign encourages people to reduce plastic consumption by reusing existing plastics, pushing for innovation in the plastic supply chain and moving towards circularity.
The Ocean2Ocean run was designed to raise awareness about the prevalence of plastic pollution, to instigate action and to learn about the challenges that the United States faces in reducing its plastic footprint.
Bencheghib ensured that his challenge was not contributing to the plastic problem by running with shoes made from upcycled plastic trash. He also shopped with zero-waste packaging along the journey, bringing refillable containers to stores and eating from recyclable tins instead of single-use plastic containers. He also collected plastic trash as he ran, keeping it with him until he found somewhere to recycle it in his support campervan (whom he affectionately referred to as Jenny).
Along his journey, he met with over 9,000 people to discuss the issue. He visited universities, schools, recycling facilities, environmental activists and governments. He learned that the plastic pollution problem is not visible to all, but it is everyone’s problem.
If we are to solve the issue, we need a change from all—policymakers, producers, consumers, educators and youth.
UNEP’s Head of Public Advocacy and Communication Atif Butt said, “Sam Bencheghib’s epic run through 13 states, mobilizing governments, young people and the general public to fight against plastic pollution, is an inspiring feat. If Sam can run for 3,055 miles for a healthier ocean, each of us can certainly make small efforts to challenge ourselves to do more for the environment in our day-to-day lives. From using a reusable bottle to refusing plastic straws, there are so many things that we could and should be doing that don’t require us to break a sweat!”
On February 1, 2020, after running 117 marathons, Sam Bencheghib concluded his run by jumping into the Pacific Ocean. “It’s hard to put into words what finishing this 3,055-mile journey across America and jumping into the Pacific Ocean feels like,” he said. “Although there were so many obstacles along the way, this run has taught me so much about the plastic industry in this country and the lack of awareness, education and action going on when it comes to plastic.”
