One of the Nordic pioneers of a balanced and healthy life, Sweden’s plogging trend, which has become even more popular lately and whose reputation exceeds the country’s borders, invites us all to change something. ‘Plogging’, which comes from the combination of the words ‘plocka up’, which means collecting in Swedish, and ‘jogging’, which means jogging in English, is briefly expressed as ‘collecting the garbage encountered while running or jogging’.
Let’s get to know this nature-friendly movement that emerged in Sweden but later turned into a global movement, encouraging regular exercise as well as protecting the environment.
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What is ‘Plogging’?
Although plogging first emerged in Sweden, today it is considered as a successful ecological movement, traces of which can be found in almost every country. The implementation of this global movement, which uses the power of running to collect garbage that disrupts the order in natural habitats and harms the environment, is actually quite simple: Collecting the garbage encountered while running.
Erik Ahlström, known as the pioneer of the movement, started to clean the garbage in the fields where he did sports after settling in Stockholm in 2016 and became a global phenomenon by spreading first to all of Sweden and then to other countries thanks to social media.
In addition to protecting the environment, plogging is a healthy lifestyle and environmentally friendly running trend that encourages regular movement and strengthens social awareness. Thanks to Plogging, not only are our bodies and minds good, we can also benefit our planet. When you make a habit of ‘plogging’, which combines the positive effects of ‘jogging’ on holistic health with the environmental benefits of ‘plocka up’:
- Because you take care of nature, you can feel better, increase your self-confidence,
- By improving your body’s oxygenation, it can improve your energy, physical ability and performance.
- May reduce the risk of possible heart problems; can increase your lung capacity,
- It can contribute to the cleaning of the areas where you do sports,
- It can create opportunities to return what you get from nature,
- It can strengthen your bones,
- You can support your weight loss and fat burning process.
Moreover, it is very easy to increase the impact of all these benefits and involve a wider audience in this process. Plogging, which can be adapted not only to fast-paced walking or jogging, but also to different outdoor activities, can also be very enjoyable when done alone as well as in crowds or small groups.
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What are the Ways to Adapt ‘Plogging’ to All Outdoor Activities?
Any time you are in touch with nature can be a great opportunity for plogging. With a little change of perspective, a few gears, lots of motivation and fun, anything is possible!
1. Change Your Perspective
Don’t limit yourself to just jogging or walking for plogging. When you look around carefully while cycling, skating, exploring a new street, city, or even during climbing exercises, you can do something for the environment and contribute to the protection of nature by collecting the wastes and garbage you encounter.
2. Motivate Others
Although Erik Ahlström started this path alone, the fact that plogging has had such a wide repercussion and reaching thousands of people is due to the power of unity. If you have succeeded in making plogging a lifestyle, you can create more wonderful things by including your environment.
You can join your spouse, friends, family, neighbors, school group or people in your neighborhood to this movement and you can achieve greater success together. You can go for a group walk every day or you can decide on a certain day every week and try different types of exercise in the open air, and you can contribute to the protection of the environment.
3. Get the Right Equipment
Although it seems to be a very simple application, there are a few points to consider when applying plogging. First of all, you can have a pair of gloves with you in order not to threaten your own health in order to collect the garbage. On the other hand, do not forget that you also need equipment to put the garbage. Do not forget to choose a comfortable pair of shoes and sports clothes to move freely. You can also throw a hat in your bag for sunny weather. The right equipment can give you more incentive.
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4. Make it a Habit
Once plogging becomes a habit, you won’t even have to think about it and you’ll start combining it with a variety of exercise routines. Once you have a certain place in your daily routines, it is possible to automatically find yourself working for nature. Not to mention that you will feel so much better every time!
5. Don’t Forget To Have Fun
Even if you are doing plogging with a sense of duty, remember that your main goal is to feel better and beautify the areas you live in. Do not forget to listen to the sound of nature, listen to yourself, share your happiness with those around you, and most of all, smile in this movement, whether you participate alone or as a group. Spend a pleasant time reminding yourself that you are both protecting your body by doing sports and working to beautify nature.
