August 27, 2025 A hitchhiker’s guide to litter-picking across Europe
Michaela and Jiří Dolan are hitchhiking through 12 countries to pick litter and raise awareness of plastic pollution. Their mission, Hitch for Change, has already brought together communities from as far as Barcelona to Stockholm.
Chip bags, beer cans, two pink plastic geraniums and a white toothbrush. These were just a few of the items collected during a kayak clean-up along Karlberg Canal in central Stockholm.
The event was arranged by Erik Ahlström, founder of the movement Plogga, who invited Czech couple Michaela and Jiří Dolan during their 50-day project Hitch for Change.
Building a movement through shared action
“Sometimes you feel alone in this struggle. That’s why it is so important to meet like-minded people working towards the same goal,” says Ahlström, who joined the Stockholm paddle clean-up.
The Dolans began in 2020 while living in Barcelona, frustrated by the amount of litter on local beaches. They started organizing group plogging with friends and colleagues before expanding their efforts to Latin America, where they held clean-ups and shared their work online under the name Verdederos.
Social media and education for awareness
In 2022, one of their videos went viral, bringing them thousands of new followers.
“We want to show the problem and create awareness. We don’t make money from this, but the comments from people who started picking up litter because of our videos make it worth it,” says Michaela.
They now lecture in schools about plastic and waste, using both education and social media to encourage reduced plastic use.
“Education is the most important part. Picking up litter is not the solution, but it helps raise awareness,” adds Jiří.
Reporter Karin Lindh joins in, picking up litter in the waters around Stockholm.
Hitchhiking for change
To celebrate five years of litter-picking, the couple launched Hitch for Change. Over 50 days, they will visit 12 northern European countries, meeting people and organizations tackling plastic waste. In Stockholm, they paddled and picked up litter alongside volunteers and Ahlström.
So far, they have collected 142 kilograms of litter with volunteers, hitchhiked 3,000 kilometers, and stayed through couchsurfing or with people supporting their mission.
“It’s about community, meeting people who are open and willing to share,” Jiří explains.
Plastic pollution: a global challenge
Between 75 and 199 million tons of plastic waste are estimated to be in the oceans. More than 11 million tons are added each year.
“It can be exhausting to see so much litter, knowing it will return. But during group clean-ups, the energy of others brings us back,” says Jiří.
Plastic bottles, cans and other litter collected during a clean-up along Karlberg Canal in Stockholm (Photo: Karin Lindh)
About Hitch for Change
Hitch for Change is a project by Michaela and Jiří Dolan, who hitchhike across Europe organizing litter clean-ups and raising awareness of plastic pollution. Their work began in Barcelona in 2020 and has since expanded internationally.
Lead photo: Karin Lindh
