We do love our trails, don’t we? I have no doubt about it! We really enjoy being out there immersed in the silence of nature and feeling a part of this beautiful planet of ours! So isn’t it like a terrible noise when after a few steps in our favourite trail we start to find stuff which is not meant to be there?

We, the human being, are an interesting society in which we are capable of enjoying our wonders and at the same time leave a remarkable trace behind. Why do we do it so? I really think it is because of lack of intensity when we’ve been teached about our impact on our surroundings. 

A few years ago some hikers and runners from Sweden (and probably in many other parts of this beautiful world we’ve got) realized there was a problem on their trails and natural surroundings which needed a solution so they got involved and started running and hiking not just with their backpacks or trail running vests but with garbage bags in order to pick up whatever they could find while on activity.

Day by day we are noticing how important every single effort is to help nature to recover from years of neglect. We can do bad things as a society but we know we can do even much better things than the worse preceding! But how? Plogging is the answer! As easy as it sounds, putting a plastic bag in your pocket once you’re ready to go out to nature and start collecting all those things making noise, as we can say, wherever you go will make life better not only for you but for the whole planet! Thinking global and acting local couldn’t be easier and more effective.

Being part of Merrell’s family helps me to realize how far we are arriving all together, by running, hiking and getting deeply involved in showing we can do much better and improve by learning from our past. Now I train with running shoes whose components are in big part recycled! From plastic and stuff found out on trails, nature or our home daily use. Isn’t it great?! Nobody would ever have thought about this only 5 years ago and now we’ve got them on our feet to enjoy nature!

So let’s get out there and keep it up with this amazing volunteering job we take part in because we know how satisfying it is to leave no trace and show it up in our social media to encourage those who we love to join us in this lovely adventure.

We’re making great fun of cleaning by running and hiking! It’s just perfect!

Juan Dual

Juan Dual is on Instagram: @dualcillo