Plogging is one of the latest fitness trends, but it stands out from the rest because it’s good for your health and the environment. Plogging is a simple concept that involves jogging while picking up trash in your surroundings. It’s a good idea for your community to get people active and together.

Sometimes, I pick up trash when walking the dogs or running errands in my area, so why not make it a more aerobic exercise and a regular activity? Cleaning up while you jog helps make your town or city a nicer place to live and helps you get some cardio into your workout schedule. Let’s look at the history of plogging and how this interesting trend began.

How did plogging start?

Plogging is relatively new, beginning in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2016, when Swedish athlete Erik Ahlström started picking up trash while out jogging. Ahlström became frustrated with how much litter he saw everywhere on his way to work, so he decided to pick it up. The city organized a “Plogga,” which combines jogging or “jogga” in Swedish with “plocka upp,” which means to pick up. It’s a popular movement that quickly gained traction. Hear it from the Swedes themselves in this blogging video.

When plogging was really picking up steam in the first few years, the prime minister of India got involved and took a video of himself picking up plastic litter and water bottles strewn on a local beach. In West Sussex, England, author David Sedaris took up to 60,000 steps a day on a quest for local rubbish. He became known for combining exercise with picking up the trash, and one day, the local authority named a waste vehicle in his honor to say thank you.

The Keep America Beautiful organization actively promotes plogging, resulting in programs that involve exercise and clean up, such as Trashercize in Tennessee. In 2018, the organization helped organize the Summer of Plogging in Indianapolis. By 2021, the first World Plogging Championship was held in Italy. Most ploggers recommend using gloves and trash bags.

Plogging is increasingly popular

Since 2016, millions of people have gone plogging, which shows a positive shift for wellness and the environment. Over 100 countries are now taking part in this interesting and beneficial fitness trend, and plogging events have attracted over 3 million participants. It makes sense this trend has taken off with social media and word-of-mouth campaigns and with environmental sustainability and plastic pollution being such important hot topics in recent years.

The power of the name

According to research reported by the American Medical Association or AMA, coining terms like plogging helps drive behavior. Marketing literature indicates that consumers change their behaviors when words invoke certain images. Let’s face it, the name plogging sounds interesting and perks your ears up.

A new study revealed that tagging or naming an activity with a special word, such as plogging, can make people want to do that activity more. Psychologists and experts call this “behavioral labeling.” Even if the connection between the label and the action or activity seems random, people are still more motivated to take part. More research is needed on the influence of behavioral labeling.

Sweden’s forward-thinking approach to trash

Sweden is known for many wonderful things, from the jaw-dropping Northern Lights and scenic fishing villages to wild rivers and vast mountains. Sweden is rich in culture, and Swedish communities have long prioritized recycling and creating a cleaner environment. The recycling rate is surprisingly high and curbside or recycling stations are found within 300 meters of all residential areas. Swedes recycle millions of bottles, and the country has had an effective can-and-bottle deposit system since 1984.

When they’re not recycling, Swedes use other options like incinerating garbage to create electricity for heating homes. The country has 33 waste-to-heat plants where a large portion of household trash is sent for incineration. The government reformed tax codes to give people cheaper repairs and encourage people to buy more used items. There’s also an uptick in retailers selling upcycled, recycled, and sustainable products like used furniture, clothing, and bicycles.

Why you should try plogging

Cleaner surroundings make you more motivated to exercise outside. Along with a cleaner environment, plogging gives you all the benefits of jogging, such as enhancing your cardiovascular fitness and lowering your blood pressure. In one study, researchers concluded that plogging and jogging are similar in terms of energy expenditure, and plogging could help you burn fat. 

You get aerobic exercise while jogging, and you also get the benefits of squats, twists, bends, and lunges as you pick up the litter. Carrying a bag of trash could also help you build arm muscle over time. Plogging can give your mood a little pick-me-up, and you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and community. You can also try pliking — a combination of hiking or biking and picking up litter.