How can we make sustainability visible in everyday life? How can we transform concern for environmental issues into concrete action that brings people together?

These questions inspired the Community Plogging Event that students of the Master's course Strategies for Sustainable Solutions: Design Thinking in Public Services at unibz, are organizing on June 21 in collaboration with Sport South Tyrol, with the support of SEAB and the participation of Plastic Free.

Plogging, a combination of jogging and litter collection, may seem like a simple activity, but it reflects a broader idea: caring for public spaces is a shared responsibility. The initiative invites participants to experience the city differently, paying attention to the small traces of waste that often go unnoticed and reflecting on how everyday habits affect the urban environment.

The event emerged from a student project focused on sustainability and public services. During the course, students explored environmental challenges affecting local communities and discussed how citizen engagement can complement institutional efforts. One topic that attracted particular attention was littering in public spaces and the difficulty of making environmental issues tangible in people's daily lives.

Rather than raising awareness through information alone, the group wanted to create an opportunity for direct participation. The goal is not simply to collect litter for a few hours, but to encourage a different relationship with the city - one based on care, responsibility, and collective action.

The Community Plogging Event will take place on Saturday, June 21, starting at 09:00 AM from Ahoi Minigolf in Bolzano-Bozen. Participants will follow a route of approximately 7 kilometres, stopping periodically to collect litter along the way. Gloves, garbage bags, and litter pickers will be provided free of charge.

Whether you are a runner, a student, a local resident, or simply someone who would like to contribute to a cleaner city, everyone is welcome. Everyone can join (it's free!) and discover how a simple morning run can become an opportunity to care for the environment, connect with others, and help build a more sustainable Bolzano-Bozen.

Register to join: https://shorturl.at/faZUC