Spending some of our free time in nature has enormous health benefits. Woods and city parks are an excellent way to promote daily wellbeing and reconnect with our natural side.
A way to keep fit and make the environment around us a better place to live. A form of sporting activism that involves doing sport – in this case, running – and picking up litter along the way. It’s known as ‘plogging’, a term that originated in Sweden and is a combination of the English word ‘jogging’ and the Swedish phrase ‘plocka upp’, which literally means ‘to pick up’. Picking up litter whilst exercising.
Why plogging is so popularPerché il plogging piace
Armed with running shoes, gloves and bags, those who take part in these initiatives not only keep fit and practise outdoor physical activity, but also help make the park, the neighbourhood and the city they live in cleaner. Born in Stockholm among a group of friends who shared a love of sport, it quickly spread around the world, thanks in part to social media: from just a few photos shared on their profiles, plogging won over hundreds of enthusiasts. Also because jogging while making our cities more liveable is a practice that has positive effects on the physical and mental wellbeing of those who take part.Armati di scarpe da running, guanti e sacchetti, chi partecipa a queste iniziative non solo si mantiene in forma e pratica attività sportiva all’aria aperta, ma contribuisce a rendere più pulito il parco, il quartiere e la città in cui vive. Nato a Stoccolma da un gruppo di amici che condividevano l’amore per lo sport si è rapidamente diffuso in tutto il mondo, grazie anche ai social network: da pochi scatti condivisi sui loro profili, il plogging ha conquistato centinaia di appassionati. Anche perché fare jogging e rendere più vivibili le nostre città è una pratica che ha dei risvolti positivi per il benessere psicofisico di chi lo pratica.
Plogging in ItalyIl plogging in Italia
In Italy too, dozens of already active groups practise plogging. One example is Keep Clean and Run (KCR), founded by Roberto Cavallo back in 2014, which promotes clean-up actions and active participation across Italy through dedicated events. Last year it covered over 700 kilometres along the entire length of the Po river to clean the banks of abandoned waste. The groups and associations that actively practise plogging are scattered throughout Italy, from Turin to Bergamo, through Monza, Florence and Bologna. All that’s left to do is find the one nearest to you!Anche in Italia sono decine i gruppi già attivi che praticano il plogging. Come il Keep Clean and Run (KCR), fondata da Roberto Cavallo già nel 2014, che promuove in tutta Italia azioni di pulizia e di partecipazione attiva con eventi dedicati. Lo scorso anno ha percorso oltre 700 chilometri lungo tutto il Po per pulire le sponde del fiume dai rifiuti abbandonati. I gruppi e le associazioni che praticano il plogging attivamente sono sparse un po’ ovunque in Italia, da Torino a Bergamo, passando per Monza, Firenze a Bologna. Non resta che trovare quello più vicino a voi!
Che cosa possiamo fare?
We always say it: planting a tree and protecting existing forests are two fundamental actions for addressing the climate crisis and mitigating the effects of the pollution we ourselves are creating and worsening. But changing our consumption habits is equally important — a small revolution that goes hand in hand with all the other actions in support of forests.
