Find out how you can exercise your mind, body, and Young Professional skills with plogging – the Swedish environmental and fitness volunteering movement!
What is plogging?
Plogging is a portmanteau (combining the sounds and meanings of two words) of the Swedish term ‘plocka upp’ which means to pick up, and the word jogging. It is an environmental and fitness movement where people around the world pick up litter as they jog.
The act of plogging originated from Sweden in 2016 when Erik Ahlström started picking up litter while he jogged. What began as an organised activity in Stockholm has turned into a global phenomenon!
What are the benefits of plogging and why should you try it?
Litter stays a lot longer than we think does. Did you know that plastic bags can take 20 years to decompose and for a plastic water bottle it can take up to 450 years! All the litter we see on the streets and in the countryside won’t be disappearing any time soon unless we do something about it. Until it’s gone, it can do so much damage to animals that find it, and even make its way into the sea where there is currently arguably more plastic than fish!
Not only is plogging good for the environment – it’s also good for YOU. Getting regular exercise is good for your health and wellbeing. It’s a great opportunity to clear your mind and focus on something else, whilst helping yourself get fitter and sleep better too.
What do you need for plogging?
You will need suitable exercise clothing, a bag to carry the litter in, and we recommend wearing gloves as litter is not hygienic.
Once you have the right gear, how do you start plogging? Whilst jogging, keep an eye out for anything litter bugs have left behind and put them in your bag. Take your litter home, sort it into recyclable and non-recyclable items, and then dispose of it appropriately.
Before you dispose of the litter, why not take a picture of what you found and share it on social media with #plogging related hashtags to show the community. Encourage other people to join in and be environmentally conscious too!
Remember: it doesn’t have to be jogging if that isn’t what you want to do. Perhaps you prefer cycling or walking instead?
Plogging tips – and keeping safe
- Try plogging in a group – whether it’s with a local group or one of your own, it can be more fun than being alone. Many local councils have information on how to start a litter picking group, as well as advice on staying safe – just check their website or contact them!
- Have a competition of who can collect the most litter – maybe there could be a prize for the winner to get you all motivated
- Combine jogging with different exercises – try squats when bending down to pick up litter, or sprint to the next piece you see
- Swap the bag between arms so you don’t strain any muscles or share carrying duties with a friend
- Learn how to pick things up properly! – stop yourself from straining your back by keeping your back straight and not twisting it as you stand up or bend down (this is where squats can be handy)
- Be careful with what you pick up – there may be sharp objects like plastic or glass so make sure you are wearing gloves, and only pick it up if you feel comfortable to do so
- Invest in a litter picker so that you don’t have to touch the litter or bend down so much
- Report troublesome spots, e.g. where people have been fly tipping, to your local council – don’t try and clear everything yourself!
- Let someone know where you are going and team up with friends to stay safe
- Follow traffic rules – this is very important – try not to get too distracted by the litter and pay attention to your surroundings, especially if you are near roads.
How does plogging boost your young professional skills?
Communication: Communication is about getting your thoughts across to others in a way they can understand, and getting them to listen to what you have to say. But it’s also about YOU listening too! You can use your communication skills when plogging by organising a plogging event/group, campaigning about litter in your local area, encouraging others, or even just having conversations with people. The social aspect of plogging can be very useful, and remember – practise makes perfect!
Self-belief: Plogging can boost your self-belief in so many ways. Motivating yourself to try something new by volunteering for something you are passionate about and having the resilience to keep going is a great first step! If you struggle with motivation, you could use plogging to set achievable goals and challenges of how much area you can cover or how much litter you find, and then transfer these skills to other areas of your life. You can also give yourself a positivity boost by helping the environment, your community AND yourself!
Self-management: Self-management is about being the boss of YOU. This means using your initiative, organising your time, and going the extra mile because you care. You can use your initiative by thinking for yourself and taking action, and showing you understand the value of service to others – this can be just by starting plogging!
Teamwork: Even if you work well on your own because of your self-management skills, teamwork is a greatly valued skill in life! Good teamwork means everyone is using their unique skills to contribute to a shared goal. Plogging in a group is a great way to work on this as you will all need to listen to each other, and share ideas and responsibilities.
Problem solving: There will always be problems to overcome in life so learning to solve problems in a logical way with a clear head is a very important skill. When plogging, perhaps you’ll come across some littered areas that are too troublesome to handle on your own and need bigger intervention? Or maybe there are areas that always seem to be rife with rubbish and could do with something that makes litterbugs more aware?
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