Doing physical activity is essential for the well-being of one's body. That is why we should carve out time every day to get some exercise-the benefits over time will be numerous, especially as we age. Today, the importance of our body's well-being is combined with the need for greater environmental sustainability. How? The answer takes the name of plogging, a practice that is spreading like wildfire around the world, including in Italy. What is it all about? Plogging is nothing more thanclassic jogging, to which is added the cleaning of the road we are traveling. You equip yourself with bags and gloves, and pick up waste as you go along, leaving behind a cleaner road. This is especially important for those wastes that are not biodegradable, and risk damaging the environment for years. In this way one feels active and participating, and the time committed to the workouts is used to improve the condition of one's neighborhood or city. Let's look in detail at what the benefits of plogging are, how it came about, and what are the most useful tools to carry with you during this activity. How plogging was born Plogging was born almost by accident, starting with an idea of a Swede, a certain Erik Ahlström. In 2016 he decided to combine his daily run with the goal of keeping his neighborhood well cleaned. He was soon imitated, and thanks in part to the network there have been more and more initiatives that have taken him as an example. In this respect, the network has been nothing short of crucial, allowing the man's virtuous actions to go viral and cross any boundary. The term plogging has a very simple meaning. The word came from the fusion of the Swedish version of the verb to collect (plocka upp) and jogging. In this way it responds perfectly to the dual soul of this activity: on the one hand you run to stay fit, and on the other hand you collect garbage to clean up the street of all kinds of impurities. Over time, plogging has become a true group sport, to be done in the company of friends and enthusiasts, in full respect of civic spirit and the desire to do one's part in making human presence more sustainable for the environment. There is no shortage of events, also organized in Italy, to make this activity known to a greater number of people. The benefits of plogging The benefits of plogging are numerous, starting right from everyone's health. It is a good habit, which allows us to keep our bodies moving, improving the efficiency of both the heart and respiratory systems. Our muscles will also thank us, and besides, moving more helps us avoid the risks of water retention. These are benefits that can make a difference for both younger and older people. We also need to pay close attention to the type of movement we do as we bend over to pick up waste. The advice is to squat, especially in the case of heavy objects, so as not to risk strains or back pain. The important thing while plogging is to have the correct clothing and tools. As far as clothing is concerned, what we wear for jogging is fine, i.e., sneakers and comfortable clothes. In addition, gloves should be worn so that garbage can be picked up without coming into contact with dirt. The garbage should then be placed in a bag or bag. We recommend that you choose a durable bag so that it will not break while you are running. Plogging in Italy Plogging in Italy has become very popular in recent years. This has also been made possible by the large number of people in our country who engage in jogging, also accomplice to the good weather that prevails during much of the year. For them, plogging has become the ideal opportunity to do something constructive and positive for the community during their workouts. Thus, after a large number of events scattered across the country, the first edition of the World Plogging Championships was held last year. This was a really great opportunity to introduce many more people to all the merits and benefits of this sporting activity. The Turin Alps hosted the competition, in a three-day event that lasted from October 1-3, 2021. The event allowed the ploggers to collect about 800 kg of waste, a truly incredible amount, if we think that they were scattered among streets and trails along one of the most beautiful mountain areas in our country. Searching the web we can find a large number of associations, which periodically organize days dedicated to this activity. It takes very little to enter the fantastic world of plogging! It isthe small daily gestures that make the big revolutions. #GoforPlanetA
