A new activity combining sport and clean-up campaigns is spreading like wildfire in Europe.
Born in Sweden around 2016, plogging caught up in other countries this year following increased concern about the environment and, especially, plastic pollution. It sees participants either running or walking and collecting litter along the way.
Recently, the Ladies Running Club held its first plogging activity in Mellieħa.
“The amount of litter we come across during our weekly runs is unbelievable, especially when considering the free bulky refuse services which one can use,” said Karelle Vella, spokeswoman of the group.
The first event attracted about 20 participants, who split up into groups of runners and walkers and were assigned a different part of the route to clean up. Some of the participants were accompanied by their children.
The group made sure to collect only recyclable materials such as bottles, cans and cardboard boxes, and in just 90 minutes, they collected over 42 bags of litter.
The Mellieħa local council provided the group with gloves and garbage bags and the Cleansing Directorate collected the bags they left along the way.
The Ladies Running Club, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, intends to hold other similar activities in the near future.
Another plogging event is being held by the Ramblers’ Association of Malta on Sunday. The group, which organises long treks in the countryside during the colder months, constantly comes across all kinds of rubbish.
Apart from walking, one is using different muscle groups to bend down/squat to collect litter
“There’s the kind of rubbish that people throw out from their car windows while enjoying a drive in the countryside such as crisps bags, pizza boxes, plastic bottles, cigarette packs, and then there’s bulkier stuff such as construction waste, old/unwanted domestic appliances, complete bathroom sets, car parts, old pushchairs, etc... Most rubbish is found in areas which are accessible by cars,” said Jane Caruana, one of the group’ s walk leaders.
All this is of concern to the group members, not just as nature lovers but also as Maltese citizens.
“The countryside belongs to everyone, so we should all make that small effort to take care of it to be able to enjoy it. No place looks nice when dirty... those same people who litter the countryside surely spend lots of energy and resources to keep their houses clean,” continued Ms Caruana.
She believes that it is not just a matter of having enough garbage bins in the countryside.
“It is rather why should one throw rubbish on the ground when there is no bin. This argument applies not just to the countryside,” Ms Caruana said.
“Some popular picnic areas, such as the Dwejra Lines, require such facilities, however, the public must be educated on their use as well: Maltese people will still leave rubbish on the ground at the base of a bin if the container is full,” she added.
The group strongly believes that the best way to change things is by actually rolling up one’s sleeves.
“Plogging will not only leave the countryside cleaner than how we found it but it is also a very good exercise as, apart from walking, one is using different muscle groups to bend down/squat to collect litter,” said Ms Caruana.
Sunday’s walk will follow the Victoria Lines: from Għargħur parish square towards Fort Madliena, across Wied il-Faħam and Wied Anġlu before the walk back to Għargħur.
It is being organised by the environmental NGO in collaboration with Friends of the Victoria Lines Trail, Swieqi LC, Għargħur LC and the Madliena Administrative Committee.
Everyone is free to join this activity. The association will be providing rubbish bags and disposable gloves for all participants.