The Problem No One Noticed
In August 2022, Seoul experienced severe flooding after heavy rain. Several people died not simply because of the storm, but because the water couldn’t drain properly. Later reports showed that many of the storm drains were clogged with cigarette butts.
Storm drains are everywhere in Seoul. People walk past them every day without noticing. Cigarette butts are small, easy to ignore, and tossed away without much thought. But when thousands of them pile up, the consequences can be serious.
That was the moment I decided to start GGTO.
What is GGTO?
https://www.instagram.com/ggto.365
GGTO stands for “지구를 지키는 토끼들” (Guardians of the Globe: The Rabbits).
It is a student-led environmental initiative focused on a simple goal: keeping storm drains clear to reduce flooding risks.
We began in Seoul, starting with monthly drain clean-ups in the Yongsan District. The work was straightforward—gloves, trash bags, and a lot of cigarette butts that had been sitting in drains for months. It wasn’t exciting, but it was necessary.
What We’ve Done So Far
Yongsan District Collaboration
As our activities continued, the local district office took notice and provided support to help us design and distribute cigarette butt collection containers. These were placed in high-traffic areas to reduce the number of butts entering the drainage system in the first place.
Monthly Drain Clean-ups
Our team continues to meet regularly to clean designated drain areas. When I am attending school in the U.S., other team members and other adult volunteers help maintain the program in Seoul so the work doesn’t stop.
Next Steps
Continue the storm drain clean-up work at Rectory school, adapting the projcet to local conditions : removing leaves, debris and other materials instead of cigarette butts
Continue advocating for preventive infrastructure and awareness in Seoul
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