Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
Turning summer evenings into climate action along Han River
A child tosses a plastic bottle into a recycling bin at a Han River park in Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Jhoo Dong-chan
As sweltering August nights draw crowds of residents seeking relief along the banks of the Han River, the Seoul Metropolitan Government is attempting to transform a seasonal pastime into a civic exercise in environmental stewardship.
Beginning Friday, the city will introduce a series of interactive sustainability challenges tied to Han River Bamping— a portmanteau of "bam," the Korean word for night, and camping — a popular late-summer evening riverside event. Running every weekend through Aug. 30 across major riverfront destinations like Yeouido and Ttukseom parks, the initiative rewards parkgoers with environmental points — known locally as Eco-Miles — for carrying out simple ecological acts, from picking up trash to reusing food containers.
The municipal push reflects growing concern over the rise of single-use plastic, food containers and litter that regularly engulfs public waterfronts during peak summer picnic season. By embedding game-like eco-friendly tasks directly into the river’s evening recreational culture, Seoul officials said they hope to incentivize waste reduction in real time rather than relying solely on morning cleanup crews.
Under the program, visitors participating in twilight plogging sessions — jogging while collecting litter at the park —receive volunteer credit and 1,000 miles. Those ordering food inside the park using reusable containers can log digital proof for 500 miles, while visitors returning plastic bottles, metal cans or glass containers for recycling earn points per item.
To engage younger visitors, the city is also deploying the Eco Dunk Challenge, an arcade-style basketball activity where participants practice sorting recyclables by shooting plastic bottles and cans through designated hoops. Completing all four environmental challenges earns participants a bonus mile allowance that can later be converted into municipal vouchers or civic benefits.
"We hope that citizens gathering along the Han River on warm summer nights will enjoy these interactive eco-missions and naturally join the broader response to the climate crisis," said Yoon Jae-sam, head of the city’s Climate and Environment Bureau.
Registration for organized group plogging is hosted on municipal volunteer portals, though individual visitors can participate spontaneously at designated park booths throughout the weekends.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.