When Hector Bellerin returns to Barcelona to see family, it makes him sad to see the rubbish that has collected in the sea.
Protecting the environment - and cutting plastic - is one of the burning issues that fires him, and this is what he told Arsenal Media.
on the issues that affect him...
There are so many things for me… the climate is a big one, obviously after going plant-based, going vegan, all the things around that is something I like to get involved with. Plastic is a massive issue as well, growing up in the coastline of Barcelona and going back now and seeing all this rubbish in the sea - when I enjoyed it as a kid - makes me sad for the next generations. There are so many things as footballers that we could help more with.
on people of his age being interested in social issues…
I think it is so different [now]. I think the new generation, not just my one but the ones that are coming after me, they are people that know what is happening, there is so much information there now on the internet and on streaming services, they are raising these problems. The young people and the youth are trying to fight for a world where there is equality, where everyone is the same and helping each other. We want to take care of the planet, we want to make it a better one. It feels like the people who are ruling it want to do it the other way around: they want to separate people, they want to make even more damage on this earth while we are trying to make it better. So if the youth keep having the same mind right now, this open mind that we can have a better world than we have right now, then I am sure it will happen and it will be better altogether.
on the environment and making small changes for a combined big difference…
Of course. I saw something the other day along the lines of ‘oh, it’s only one straw’. That’s what billions of people said and it is kind of like that. A lot of people think the message isn’t to them because they’re only one person in a massive world. But if everyone takes that same action for good, it can save tonnes of water, plastic, animals. Everyone needs to feel that this message is to them. It would be very selfish to think it’s not. We can’t live in a perfect world right now, and we probably can’t not use plastic at all. But if there’s one little thing you don’t buy, or don’t use, and swap it for something better for this world, if everyone did that, we could make it happen.
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