plogging
verb

- a recreational activity, originating in Sweden, that combines jogging with picking up litter

Collins English Dictionary

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Plogging is a combination of jogging with picking up litter (Swedish: plocka upp). It started as an organised activity in Sweden around 2016 and spread to other countries in 2018, following increased concern about plastic pollution.

As a workout, it provides variation in body movements by adding bending, squatting and stretching to the main action of running, hiking, or walking.

Author David Sedaris combines litter picking with exercise in the Parham, Coldwaltham and Storrington districts of West Sussex, taking up to 60,000 steps a day in pursuit of local rubbish. He was so effective in keeping his neighbourhood clean that the local authority named a waste vehicle in his honour. The Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex, Susan Pyper, said "The sign on this truck is a very fitting way to say a huge ‘thank you’ to David for his tireless efforts ... he is a real
local hero."

Erik Ahlström started plogging in the Swedish capital city, Stockholm, when he moved there from the Åre ski resort. He created the website Plogga to organise the activity and encourage volunteers.

The Keep America Beautiful organisation is now promoting plogging to its affiliates and has found that some already combined exercise with clean up, such as the Trashercize program in Tennessee. In New York, a Meetup group, Plogging NYC, had about 100 members in 2018.

Sources:

- Frymorgen, Tomasz, "Plogging is the latest Scandinavian lifestyle trend to rock your world". BBC
- Ross, Peter, "A rubbish way to get fit – why I loved going 'plogging'". The Guardian
- Morrissy-Swan, Tomé, "Is 'plogging' the most 2018 fitness trend yet?". The Telegraph.
- Klein, Allison, "'Plogging' is the Swedish fitness craze for people who want to save the planet. It's making its way to the U.S." The Washington Post.