Assam’s Dhrubajyoti Boruah made a special floating bicycle from bamboo and pedaled down the Thames river in the UK to clear litter.
He is trying to create awareness about plastic pollution.
He cycled 150 miles (241 km approximately) from Lechlade, Gloucestershire to Tower Bridge near London for nine days in September.
He collected plastic bottles, cups and glasses, chocolate wrappers, milk bottles and even a packet of chicken breasts.
On average, he collected two baskets full of litter.
“It was not all of a sudden. It was a gradual process. I have always loved adventure but adventure with a purpose. I love ocean racing and once while sailing from London to Brazil, I saw how the waters are exposed to plastic litter,” Boruah, who hails from Dhemaji district of Assam and is now based in London.
A former corporate management consultant and now an entrepreneur, the 35-year-old said his ‘Biking on the Thames’ campaign was born thereafter.
Then the question of his mode of transport arose. “I wanted the vehicle to be wacky, different. I wanted people to notice it so that my message reaches out to many,” he said. Boruah had made a bicycle from bamboo last year.
“The bamboo was from the UK and Vietnam. I modified it a bit and used the floats from Italy,” he said. And his vehicle was definitely able to grab eyeballs.
“People were curious to see the bicycle and many stopped to have a chat with me. So I was able to tell them what I was doing and urge them to start thinking about ways to reduce plastic,” he said.
He plans to have a go at another Thames cleaning drive, reports Rediff.Com.
Boruah’s motto is: be smart with plastics, and he plans to work with a few government organizations to take his campaign forward. He is now looking forward to embark on a trip from Seoul to Pyongyang next year on his handmade bamboo bicycle to spread the message of peace.