Plogging - good for you and the environment

A jog through the city park, a relaxed walk through the forest or a bike ride across fields and meadows - no matter how relaxing a stay in nature may be, dirt of all kinds can be unattractive. Plastic bags, discarded packaging or old glass bottles not only disturb the sight of nature, but can also be dangerous for animals and pollute their habitat.

Recently, plogging, which is becoming increasingly popular, especially in large cities, is a good way to be active in nature and at the same time make a contribution to environmental protection. But what exactly is plogging and how can you participate in it yourself?

What does the term 'plogging' stand for?
The term 'plogging' is made up of two parts of the word and forms a so-called portmanteau. This is made up of the Swedish word 'plocka', which translates as 'pick up' or 'pick', and the sport of jogging, which is known to be a sustained run at a fast pace. As a result, plogging is a new sport in which you collect rubbish while jogging, so sport and environmental protection can be combined very well.

The trend sport was made popular in Sweden by Erik Ahlström and spread quickly, especially through social networks. Plogging has become popular as a sport with social campaigns and environmental activists.

To bundle the collected rubbish, ploggers use a bag of their choice. Of course, the best are old bags that you already have at home or cloth bags that can simply be washed afterwards. Afterwards, the waste should of course be separated and disposed of properly.

For reasons of hygiene, it is advisable to wear suitable gloves. 

Because of the constant bending and lifting with plogging, the workout can also be supplemented with variety, after all, a few squats never hurt, right?
You also train with the increasingly heavy garbage bag additionally your arms, shoulders and cardiovascular system.

How can you get involved in plogging?
If you like jogging and would like to do your bit for the environment by plogging yourself, you can of course go plogging anywhere in public space, alone or with friends. There are no rules or things to consider here - the main thing is that you have fun with it and move around in public places, parks or other meadows, fields and forests. But like many other sports, plogging in community is more fun and much more effective.

In the larger cities such as Cologne or Munich in particular, but also here in Hanover , there are now more and more groups that come together for joint plogging. They communicate mainly via social networks such as Facebook or Instagram. If you want to join a plogging group, your best bet is to look there for a group in your town. And if there isn't one there yet, maybe you'll get the urge to start your own group?! Thanks to the growing collective environmental awareness, you won't have to wait long for comrades-in-arms and you can add a meaningful contribution to the community to your sports routine!

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