We have Celebrate Earth Day every April 22 since its inception in 1970. This holiday reminds people to take care of their environment in their communities.
Are you looking for ways that Earth Day can be celebrated? Have you ever thought about plogging, a fitness trend?
What is it?
This Swedish trend stems out of the idea that exercising and picking up trash are two things. The term combines jogging with plockaupp, which is Swedish for to pick up.
It was popularized in 2016, however, people have been practicing it for many years and are still doing it.
People taking out trash.
Michael Bain is the store manager Big River Running CompanySt. Louis MO, discussed the event that was a success for Earth Day 2021.
Last year, we made one of our weekly evening group runs into an event for plogging. We ran our regular route which included Francis Park and picked-up trash along the way. Although they didn’t keep track of how much trash they accumulated several bags were full.
Grab your gloves and a trash bag
The best thing about plogging? You don’t need much equipment. Bain recommends using a trash bag with gloves to dispose of the trash. You might also need some hand sanitizer.
He suggests that you choose a course with lots trashcans to keep your items to a minimum. You can also pick up trash along your route by going to a nearby park. There are no planned events for groups at this time, but these will likely be added in the near future.
Global plogging
This isn’t a local initiative. It’s a global initiative. You need some motivation. There are many websites and social media blogs that practice plogging in their local communities.
Ripu Daman Beli, an Indian, saw a gap in his community and decided to fill it. He started by picking up litter on his morning run. He then shared his activity to his Facebook group.
From there, it attracted other runners, cyclists, walkers, and joggers across India and they formed Ploggers of India, where cleaning up other peoples litter is the coolest thing to do. Bevli has organized over 500 clean-up drives in India.
You don’t have to organize a group or take a holiday to pick-up trash in your area. Make it a part of your daily routine.
An example of materials for pllogging.
Attach a couple of plastic grocery bags to your dogs’ leashes. Also, keep some disposable gloves in your running bag. Keep the hand sanitizer in your running pack. You can celebrate Earth Day by doing small things.
