Go plogging in Goa for health of body and environment

Ever been plogging? That perhaps is not a question that is asked quite often in Goa, and could even confuse some as to whether it is a trick question.

But, plogging is an activity combining physical activity with respect for the environment, that is gaining popularity throughout the world, though it has been rather slow to take off in the State.

Driving down the highway with the car radio tuned to the local FM station, the radio jockey, quite unexpectedly, suggested that people should try plogging in Goa. It made sense to use the radio waves to make such an announcement, but then, what exactly is plogging?

It is actually simply a combination of jogging and picking up litter. Well, it need not be restricted to jogging, but can be done even when walking, skateboarding, cycling and even swimming. 

All it seeks from the individual is a change of attitude — that of doing something for the environment and the cleanliness of the city or they are residents of.

Even more simply, it is all about creating a more sustainable world through sport, an exercise trend that is gaining momentum, one that gets the plogger in shape, and the environment cleaner, and sounds like quite an ideal combination.

All it seeks from the individual is a change of attitude — that of doing something for the environment and the cleanliness of the city or village they are residents of.

Plogging started in Sweden, and the term merges the Swedish verbs plocka upp (pick up) and jogga (jog) to create a new Swedish verb plogga, and from there has been derived the word plogging.

Stockholm, in Sweden, became the first to host an organised Plogga in 2016, and in less than nine years, the trend has spread throughout the world.

As per the website plogging.org, over three million people have participated in organised or solo ploggas, and on a daily basis, approximately 20,000 people plog in over 100 countries. That’s a good number, but perhaps it can be increased so as to make a bigger difference to the world.

It's, however, become so popular across the world that there is a World Plogging Championship organised.

plogging.org states that the 2023 competition set a new record with a collection of around 3,000 kg of , including over 2,000 kg, or 71 percent of it sent for recycling, compared with 1,152 kg recovered at the end of the 2022 competition, and 795 kg collected in 2021, the first year of the event.

As per the website plogging.org, over three million people have participated in organised or solo ploggas, and on a daily basis, approximately 20,000 people plog in over 100 countries.

The championship was not merely meant to win awards as to who collected the most litter, but resulted in a significant social and impact, for plogging.org states that it ‘reflected in the almost 6 million grams of CO2 not released into the atmosphere as a result of correctly separating and recycling the waste collected.'

'These emissions are equal to the amount produced by a car travelling 60,000 km or 50 flights between Milan and Rome’, it further states.

India has also taken to plogging and there are quite a few websites promoting it, as well as events held to popularise it. Plogging can be done singly or in groups, and theindianploggersarmy.com has this advice for those taking up the activity.

For starters, it suggests that it is more fun in a group, and hence, it would be advisable to join others rather than doing it alone.

Here’s another tip, squat or bend on one leg when picking up rubbish as this will improve ‘articulation of the hip, adductor muscles and ankles’; make it a competition to see who picks up the most litter in the shortest time, and after collecting it, take it to the nearest point.

For starters, it suggests that it is more fun in a group, and hence, it would be advisable to join others rather than doing it alone.

Yes, it’s not enough to merely collect the garbage strewn around, but it has to be properly recycled, too. And of course, as almost everybody does these days, share pictures on social media with the hashtag #plogging so that others are inspired, and the movement grows.

Plogging in Goa is picking up and there have been such drives at beaches, Miramar especially.

But perhaps, this requires the people themselves to come out rather than awaiting organised events. Everyday a number of people walk, jog, exercise on the of Goa, perhaps they could join together and start plogging too.

It could even be , adding to the experience of exercising by doing something for the environment.

But, unless the litter collected is properly segregated, it may not have the desired effect. And, that would require the authorities stepping in, ultimately making it a citizen-local authority effort. It’s definitely worth the try.