One of the hottest trends of the year, ‘plogging’ is a great way to do your bit for the environment as a tourist by picking up trash and litter you may encounter on your travels. And yes, it’s reached India too, thanks to Sterling Holidays.
By Raul Dias
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has made it his life’s newest mission, while most recently here in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought it to the fore by trying it out at a beach in Tamil Nadu’s Mamallapuram to great success. We’re talking about the hottest travel trend of the year called plogging where tourists and travellers alike can do their bit for the environment by picking up trash and litter they may come across on their travels.
Born as both a sport and a means of caring for the environment, plogging—also known as ‘eco running’—is a Swedish invention that helps us deal with the world’s burgeoning plastic and waste problem in a most creative and healthy way.
Plogging 101
A combination of jogging with picking up litter, the word ‘plogging’ is derived from the Swedish term “plocka upp” or to “pick up”. While plogging started off as an organised activity in Sweden around 2016, it has spread to other countries over the last three years, following increased concerns and public pressure over plastic pollution.
It is estimated that annually we produce over 300 million tons of plastic and around 8.8 million tons of it get dumped in our lakes, rivers and oceans, threatening countless animals, many of which are on the verge of extinction as a result. And sadly by 2050 it is believed that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish! In fact, Chris Hemsworth’s very ambitious plogging campaign hopes to rid 100 islands around the world and the surrounding seas of plastic by the end of 2020.
Homebound Endeavours
Giving the plogging idea a very effective Indian context, exactly two years ago in December 2017, the district administration of Dindigul and Kodaikanal Municipality in Tamil Nadu launched a program for keeping Lake Kodaikanal’s grounds free of garbage with the support of Sterling Holidays. This entails a team that is deployed through the day to sweep the entire area of the lake and its surrounding areas to collect and dispose waste material.
To this end Sterling Holidays has appointed a firm to clean and maintain not just the area of the lake but also the open areas, roads and grounds within the boundary of Lake Kodiakanal, while also encouraging its vacationing guests to give plogging a try.
Remember, responsible travel truly begins and ends with the responsible traveller…one less piece of plastic at a time!
Plogging Tips To Keep In Mind
1. Remember, safety comes first! Before embarking on your plogging activity, make sure to protect yourself from unnecessary direct contact with the thrash. You can do this by wearing a good, sturdy pair of running shoes along with hand gloves to avoid possible cuts and nicks. Additionally, wearing a face mask may also be a good idea in case you may encounter toxic or hazardous waste.
2. Carry with you a sturdy bag to deposit the thrash into along with a hooked stick on pincer to pick up the thrash.
3. Make sure that you have the proper authority/permission to carry out your plogging on a particular piece of land that may often be private property.
4. Don’t get too adventurous with heavy or dangerous items of waste. In case you feel you cannot handle said waste, it would be better to contact the municipal or civic authorities to help clear it.
5. Identify a proper, environmentally-friendly waste disposal site so that once you’re done with your plogging activity, you can safely dispose off the accumulated thrash so that it doesn’t end up back to where you picked it up from.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the January 2020 issue of Purple Hues magazine of Sterling Holidays https://www.sterlingholidays.com/purplehues)
By Raul Dias
Australian actor Chris Hemsworth has made it his life’s newest mission, while most recently here in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi brought it to the fore by trying it out at a beach in Tamil Nadu’s Mamallapuram to great success. We’re talking about the hottest travel trend of the year called plogging where tourists and travellers alike can do their bit for the environment by picking up trash and litter they may come across on their travels.
Born as both a sport and a means of caring for the environment, plogging—also known as ‘eco running’—is a Swedish invention that helps us deal with the world’s burgeoning plastic and waste problem in a most creative and healthy way.
Plogging 101
A combination of jogging with picking up litter, the word ‘plogging’ is derived from the Swedish term “plocka upp” or to “pick up”. While plogging started off as an organised activity in Sweden around 2016, it has spread to other countries over the last three years, following increased concerns and public pressure over plastic pollution.
It is estimated that annually we produce over 300 million tons of plastic and around 8.8 million tons of it get dumped in our lakes, rivers and oceans, threatening countless animals, many of which are on the verge of extinction as a result. And sadly by 2050 it is believed that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish! In fact, Chris Hemsworth’s very ambitious plogging campaign hopes to rid 100 islands around the world and the surrounding seas of plastic by the end of 2020.
Homebound Endeavours
Giving the plogging idea a very effective Indian context, exactly two years ago in December 2017, the district administration of Dindigul and Kodaikanal Municipality in Tamil Nadu launched a program for keeping Lake Kodaikanal’s grounds free of garbage with the support of Sterling Holidays. This entails a team that is deployed through the day to sweep the entire area of the lake and its surrounding areas to collect and dispose waste material.
To this end Sterling Holidays has appointed a firm to clean and maintain not just the area of the lake but also the open areas, roads and grounds within the boundary of Lake Kodiakanal, while also encouraging its vacationing guests to give plogging a try.
Remember, responsible travel truly begins and ends with the responsible traveller…one less piece of plastic at a time!
Plogging Tips To Keep In Mind
1. Remember, safety comes first! Before embarking on your plogging activity, make sure to protect yourself from unnecessary direct contact with the thrash. You can do this by wearing a good, sturdy pair of running shoes along with hand gloves to avoid possible cuts and nicks. Additionally, wearing a face mask may also be a good idea in case you may encounter toxic or hazardous waste.
2. Carry with you a sturdy bag to deposit the thrash into along with a hooked stick on pincer to pick up the thrash.
3. Make sure that you have the proper authority/permission to carry out your plogging on a particular piece of land that may often be private property.
4. Don’t get too adventurous with heavy or dangerous items of waste. In case you feel you cannot handle said waste, it would be better to contact the municipal or civic authorities to help clear it.
5. Identify a proper, environmentally-friendly waste disposal site so that once you’re done with your plogging activity, you can safely dispose off the accumulated thrash so that it doesn’t end up back to where you picked it up from.
(An edited version of this article first appeared in the January 2020 issue of Purple Hues magazine of Sterling Holidays https://www.sterlingholidays.com/purplehues)
