Plogging

Many people across the world are starting to plog. Image: Unsplash

Plogging: The perfect way to stay fit AND save the environment

Plogging is the combined and highly beneficial effort of jogging and picking up litter – and it is slowly becoming many people’s way of life.

Plogging

Many people across the world are starting to plog. Image: Unsplash

The world has a new way of staying on top of the pollution problem while tackling their long-ignored fitness goals — it’s called plogging. For those who’ve never heard of it before, plogging is combining exercise — usually jogging — with picking up litter.

Creative way to clean up the environment and your body

Fit people with a passion for a greener environment have found a way to kill two birds with one stone and their doing so by plogging. Plogging got its name from the Swedish term plocka upp which translates to “pick up”, and jogga which means “jog”.

In 2016, Sweden organised the activity to tackle the country’s litter problem while getting people in on some exercise. Soon other countries started adopting the idea and years later, many people have now become proud ploggers.

The benefits of plogging

Plogging has become many people’s way of life because it not only helps keep the country clean, jogging while squatting, bending and stretching to lift litter from the floor is quite the workout.

Many South Africans have also expressed how much they love plogging because it gives them a sense of satisfaction to know that they are doing something to help keep the country clean.

“I soon saw it as a blessing to me to pick up litter, as it is as good as touching my toes a number of times a day, keeping me stretched and supple. It also gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction to do something good for our community,” says Chris von Ulmenstein in an IOL article.

Meanwhile, people had this to say:

@bardbaker777 said:

“Todays’ early morning Plogging session at the beach. Finally… finally… the beach is clean. I was so amazed. I guess there was a clean-up campaign a few days ago. I just end up walking with the sounds of John Mayer and enjoying the view. The sky was pretty.Sunrise”

@nisharai_ggc wrote:

“Europe-Africa needs healing everywhere & no one does best than ur team .. kudos Clapping hands sign please join hands as travellers for volunteering for #cleaning #plogging drives in your own cities too. #lets #BeTheOne #BetheChange”

ALSO READ: Return to fitness: Here’s how SA gyms are flexing their muscles again