As I brace myself for an early morning stroll in crisp fall wind, the dewy grass and freshly sprouted mushrooms welcome me. The morning walk always served as a stress buster for me. “Me time” that I would cherish before hitting my chores. However, lately, I was familiarized with an exciting concept of Plogging.

Plogging is an interesting term that has been coined by combining jogging and picking up litter. It’s a combo of Swedish verbs plocka upp (i.e., pick up) and Jogga (i.e., jog). So you are not only confining yourself to running or walking here. As you bend down after every step to pick up litter, it provides a variation in a regular workout. The body is bending, stretching, and squatting at the same time. What’s more, an environmental clean-up is taken care of too. 

Research states that approximately 2,000,000 people plog daily globally. In addition, many organizations have replaced walk-a-cause and various fundraising events with plogging. 

What started as a Swedish inspiration has made its way in Canada too. For example, Melanie Knight from Vancouver took a 30-day challenge to collect litter as she jogs.

So, how do you engage in Plogging?

• It’s no rocket science. Just make up your mind for your daily jog or walk, carry a trash bag and preferrable gloves.
• As you walk or jog, pick up any litter along the way and put it in the trash bag you are carrying
• Depending on what you have collected, you can sort it into recyclable content and garbage and dispose of it accordingly.
• And voila, as you burn calories, you are paving the way for a pollution-free world for everyone to breathe.
  
  

How to add a twist to your jogging?

• You can plan a different route every day. 
• Reflect around the natural beauty. 
• Organize community events around plogging. It can be an alternative to the mundane clean-up drive.
• Gather kids and later celebrate the Earth decluttering with a pizza or lemonade party
  
  It’s interesting to note that 30 minutes of plogging helps burn around 330 calories versus regular jogging of 30 minutes that burns 270 calories. So who is in for jogging with a mission?!

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