Flourishing Things: Plogging

            Plogging is the combination of the words ‘jogging’ and the phrase ‘plocka upp’ which is Swedish for pick up. Plogging describes the act of jogging and picking up trash and was invented in 2016 by Erik Ahlström in Sweden. He created the website Plogga in order to raise awareness about this new activity and recruit environmentally concerned individuals in order to collect litter while engaging in physical activity. Plogging quickly spread to other countries such as India, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

            Plogging is a great way to get active and improve your environment. Jogging on its own has multiple health benefits but picking up trash while you jog is a great way to incorporate additional movements such as bending down or squatting into your fitness routine. Additionally, plogging helps remove harmful litter and plastic debris from roads, sidewalks, and trails. Plastics are endocrine disruptors that have the ability to accumulate in the food web. In addition, trash can injure and kill aquatic life. Even when plastic does break down, it remains in the environment as microplastics which are now nearly ubiquitous in the environment. Any action that helps reduce the amount of plastic debris makes an important difference.

            Plogging has made its way to social media, effectively increasing its popularity and turning it into a trend. Facebook groups and hashtags make it easier for people to join together in plogging groups and showcase the amount of trash collected. Next time you feel like going for a run, check online for local plogging events or start your own with friends in order to make a positive environmental impact!

Plogga

Runner’s World