PLOGGING: The Latest FITness Craze for People who Want to Save the Earth!

Plogging. It started in Sweden. Spread through parts of Europe. It’s now emerging in the U.S. It’s exercising with a conscious---and it doesn’t cost a thing!

[So, What IS Plogging?]

Plogging is a combination of jogging and picking up trash. Founded by Erik Ahlstrom who noticed a lot of litter on his daily bike commute in Stockholm in 2016, ‘Plogging” comes from the Swedish word, plocka uppa (meaning to pick up) (1). Plogging started as an organized activity in Sweden as a grass roots effort to fight pollution, particularly plastic pollution.

[Our Global Plastic Pollution Problem]

According to Dr. Joleah Lamb of Cornell University, after ocean warming, plastic is “one of the biggest threats to the future of coral reefs,” as one third of our coral reefs is entangled with plastic. (2). In the Asia-Pacific region over 11 billion items of plastic were found on just a third of the coral reefs surveyed. That number is expected to increase to over 15 billion by 2025. (3).

[Our Local Pollution Problem]

While plastic is a concern on all levels, plogging groups do not typically discriminate against which trash to pickup. Plastic bottles, cigarette butts, paper, aluminum cans. . . you name it. “Have gloves. . I will plocka uppa!” explains a registered participant in FIT2order’s scheduled Baltimore/Towson-based Plogging Event.

The group will meet on October 7th at FIT2order’s Towson office for the launch of their Plogging Group. With trash bags in and protective gloves on hands, they will be split into a jogging/plogging group and a walking/plalking group. Participants will be taught how to properly squat and hinge to protect their backs while bending and to properly work their core and backside during the plogging session.

If YOU are local and would like to join us this coming Monday, October 7th, 6:00 pm, please register HERE--> I wanna PLOG

If not, we will let YOU know how much trash, how many squats AND our distance covered in this inaugural 45 minute Plogging Session🙂

 [A WIN-WIN]

Plogging is not only good for the environment, it is good for your health. As a workout, you get the combined benefits of cardiovascular conditioning of the jogging/walking plus the resistance training of body weighted movements such as squats and hinges when picking up the trash.

According to the Swedish-based fitness app, Lifesum, 30 minutes of jogging plus picking up trash burns 288 calories for the average person compared to the 235 calories burned jogging alone (4). Author David Sedaris in West Sussex takes up 60K steps per day in pursuit of local rubbish. His efforts were so successful, the local authority actually named a waste vehicle in his name and is considered a ‘local hero!’ (1).

[Ready To Go Plogging?]

In addition to its noble efforts in saving our planet, the beauty of plogging is its accessibility to all ages, all fitness levels and all venues.

Below are some ideas to get you plogging---today!

1. Plalk. Or Plike. Are you a runner, a walker or a hiker? Grab a trash bag and protective gloves for your next run, walk or hike.
2. Multi-generational. Whether you take the kids and grandparents on an after-dinner stroll or organize a community plogging event, encourage all ages to participate for the good of our planet, for the good of your health and for the good of our souls!
3. Corporate Wellness Event. Talk about a team-building, get-outside, get healthy and feel good about yourself event that can be done, literally, in your company’s backyard—pilot your Corporate Plogging event and see if it takes off. No time to plan? Contact FIT2order to host a Plogging Launch for your company---from planned routes to warm-up to teaching proper “plocka uppa” mechanics, our certified trainer will lead and motivate your ploggers, complete with social media images!

Sources:

1. “Plogging.” Accessed September 4, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plogging
2. Briggs, H. BBC News (2018). Plogging fitness trend sees runners picking up litter. Accessed September 4, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-dorset-43912683/plogging-fitness-trend-sees-runners-picking-up-litter
3. Marx, P. Saving the planet and your glutes. The New Yorker (2018). Accessed September 4, 2019. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/08/20/saving-the-planet-and-your-glutes
4. Klein, A. Plogging is the Swedish fitness craze for people who want to save the planet. It’s making its way to the U.S. (2018). The Washington Post. Accessed September 4, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2018/02/23/plogging-is-the-swedish-fitness-craze-for-people-who-want-to-save-the-planet-its-making-its-way-to-the-u-s/