In this article, we are going to introduce to you a possible new form of exercise that not only helps you to keep fit, it also provides a way to keep your local community and country walks neat and tidy. You can do it on your own, but it is probably more fun doing it with your friends. What can this new activity be?

So here is a new word for you. It’s plogging. Never heard of it? Neither had we until a few weeks ago. The word was created by Erik Ahlström, an environmentalist from Sweden. It’s made up of two words: ‘plucking’ which means to take hold of something and quickly remove it, and ‘jogging’ – running at a gentle pace. Plogging is where people who go out jogging stop to pick up any litter they see. They then dispose of it in an environmentally friendly way.

In recent years, litter has become a real problem in Hong Kong’s country parks. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) made a bold move recently. It decided to remove all the litter bins from the country parks to encourage walkers to take their litter home with them. It was called the ‘Take Your Litter Home!’ campaign. There are reports that this campaign has been a success, but litter in the countryside and city streets remains a big problem. Could plogging become the solution?

How do you become a plogger?

Joggers carry a small bag and a pair of gloves. When they see any rubbish, they stop running and pick it up, turning their jog into a plog. Apart from helping to clean up the area, it also improves their exercise routine because they have to bend over regularly – something you do not normally do when you are out jogging. Stopping and starting a jog also has health benefits and improves fitness.

Ploggers are encouraged to take photos of the litter they have picked up and post them on social network pages. It raises awareness and may make people think more about dropping their rubbish. Photos are often linked to comments like this one from The Little Writer:

“Today, we had our first plogging. In a 45-minute long run around the city we managed to collect 17.5 kilos of litter lying around the ground.”

Plogging is catching on around the world. Apart from Sweden, there are now ploggers in Thailand, Australia, Argentina, the U.S.A. and many other countries. How do you feel about starting your own plogging team and helping to clean up our country parks and streets?

Question:      

Turn your workout into a treasure hunt

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