How and where to go plogging in Kansas City
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Take a hike. Photo: Courtesy of Jeffiny Shutts/Urban Hikes KC
You've heard of jogging. You've heard of picking up litter. Combine the two, and you get "plogging."
Why it matters: Earth Day is this month, and locals are looking for ways to celebrate nature while contributing to a healthier planet.
Context: The term plogging comes from the Swedish phrase "plocka upp," meaning to pick up.
- That got combined with the word jogging for a fun portmanteau meaning to move your body while removing trash from the environment.
Zoom in: Lisa Peña, founder of Urban Hikes KC, says she would use walks with her sister to pick up trash with grocery bags littering the street.
- Then she saw the Mid-America Regional Council's "Plogtober," centering October on cleanup projects, and wanted to program her own events. "I got pretty excited to find out that there is actually a term for it," she tells Axios.
- She hopes her plogging hike encourages more people to plog year-round.
If you go: Urban Hikes' plogging event is April 12 from 9am–noon. The price is $40, but you can bring someone for free with the code "PLOGBOGO."
- They provide the bags and trash grabbers, though gloves are recommended.
Zoom out: For folks who don't want to run or hike, Kansas City's parks department has recurring weekly litter cleanups, with special Earth Day events April 18 and 22.
- Boulevard Brewing Co. is hosting a public Penn Valley Park cleanup April 16, followed by a complimentary beer.
- The brewery is also offering two complimentary tickets for anyone who volunteers with KCMO Parks from April 1–15 as part of Earth Month.
💭 Travis' thought bubble: Strange enough, I didn't easily find any upcoming events that actually involve jogging.
- With how many running clubs there are, it shouldn't be hard for organizers to go the extra mile to help clean up the city.
The bottom line: Plogging can help make the Earth, and its inhabitants, a little healthier.