The Beijing Plogging Scene: How Fitness and Environmental Justice Became One

Drew Pittock — Wed, 06 Nov 2019 05:00:09 +0000

A fitness and environmental trend that we covered in 2018 was back in the news this week, and given the sheer brilliance and simplicity of the idea, we thought it was definitely worth re-spreading.

The trend in question is ‘plogging’, an exercise regiment that combines jogging with picking up trash. The activity began in Sweden in 2016 and it’s name is a portmanteau of the Swedish phrase, ‘plocka upp’, which translates to ‘picking up’, and the slightly more obvious, ‘jogging’.

As legend has it, the first man to plog was Erik Ahlstrom, who, disillusioned by the excessive litter lining the streets of his small Swedish town, began snatching up scraps of trash during his daily runs. The details of how Ahlstrom’s efforts rippled outside his own community and influenced eco-conscious joggers clear across the globe is still cloaked in mystery, but we think it’s safe to assume that social media played a pretty big part. No matter the catalyst though, by 2018, plogging had reached mainland China, and folks from Beijing to Shanghai to Hangzhou were running around with trash clamps and recycling bags in tow.

Now, one year later, Plogging Beijing is a formidable force of waste warriors waging war against the enemies of all that is cleanliness and goodliness in the Capital. Zhang Yashi, Plogging Beijing’s de facto spokesman, told Xinhua News that the group was established last year, and that on the first night alone, the newly minted ploggers filled three bags of trash around the Forbidden City.

More impressive is the fact that what began as a humble four members has since grown to an astounding 700. As Zhang told Xinhua, most of the recruits catch wind of the group through pictures they post online; however he does mention that a few ploggers have actually just been passersby so intrigued by the activity that they decided to take part.

Always eager to bring more people into the fold, Plogging Beijing has started incorporating other elements into their events like puzzles, hikes, and information about waste classification.

Their efforts caught the attention of larger companies and universities who have tapped Zhang and his group for team building activities. These institutions have been so eager to show their support that, according to Zhang, “some companies even sponsored us in purchasing bags, uniforms, clamps and so on.”

One such company that, while not affiliated with Plogging Beijing, is nonetheless riding the worldwide craze, is Kerry Hotel Beijing. Last May, 30 employees and their family members went on a plogging mission from the hotel’s location on Guanghua Road all the way to Chaoyang Park. By splitting the thirty participants into three groups, each responsible for a different route, the teams were able to cover more ground and effectively maximize their impact.

According to Wei Wei Saw, Director of Marketing and Communications at Kerry Hotel, Beijing, the event was such a success, both environmentally and for the staff who participated, that they’ve organized four or five plogging days since that initial one earlier this year.

Seven Wang, Assistant Director of Human Resources at Kerry Hotel, Beijing, said of one event, “It was a very productive morning. Not only did we get a good workout, but we also did our part to clean the streets of Beijing and emphasized the importance of teamwork.”

And a good workout it is! Citing data from various fitness apps, Beijing Youth Daily reported that by incorporating squats and carrying the trash while moving about the city, plogging can burn roughly 288 calories per hour, which happens to be 53 calories more than a traditional jog.

So the next time you’re lacing up your sneakers and donning your windbreaker, grab a trash bag and take it along with you. You’ll be helping yourself, your neighbors, and the planet breathe a little easier.

Keep up with all the latest Plogging Beijing events by following their official WeChat account: Plogging北京.

Photos: Core77.com, Kerry Hotel Beijing, Medium.com

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