Would you like to not only run along the beach and enjoy a splendid sunrise, but also help protect the ecosystem? This is the proposal when it comes to Plogging in Barcelona.
This sport invites you to integrate physical activity with a simple effort in favor of environmental sustainability and the reduction of polluting waste.
What is Plogging in Barcelona
It is an eco-sports initiative where a group of environmentally conscious early morning runners set out early to run along the beach while collecting plastics and waste along the way.
The term Plogging comes from the fusion of the words “plocka upp” (Swedish expression used to refer to something that is “to pick up”) and “jogging” which translates as running.
The initiative arrived in Barcelona through the Finnish designer Enni Karikoski, who brought this new sport modality from her country. Since arriving in Barcelona in mid-2018 he always thought the proposal would be well received.
In fact, the success of anti-waste initiatives such as the country’s first plastic-free supermarket led him to promote plogging in the city. And he wasn’t wrong: the new sport has been very popular locally.
Enni says that she initially received support from the Sunrise Runner Club, a group of early morning runners who are experts in the sport, and little by little other people interested in improving the city’s dirty beaches joined in.
How is the Plogging movement practiced in Barcelona?
The routine starts around 7:30 am at the Mar Bella beach (Buenas Migas), while the streetlights are still shining. In the background a beautiful strip of light welcoming the sunrise that motivates to start the warm-up for running or walking. When they are ready, they choose gloves or carry biodegradable bags in their hands to start practicing sports and collect the waste along the way.
Collected
Since the first outing in July 2018, Plogging Barcelona has served to collect more than 300 plastic bags and about 4,000 kilos of garbage. Cigarettes, shoes, chairs, wheels, cans, sticks, are some of the most common objects found along the beach.
The runners confess that sometimes they find things that they would never think of finding on a beach, but the important thing is to rid the marine species of this waste that can even kill them.
Although the Barcelona City Council does a great cleaning service with its machinery, in some cases they do not manage to collect microplastics that represent 65 to 90% of the garbage that accumulates in the sea, on the beach and on the ground nearby. As they are not very visible, they have a greater impact on marine life.
