In the last two Speak of The Frog articles we talked about plastic; specifically, about its pros and cons, and its connections to sportswear and microplastics in the environment. Nothing is seldom 100% good or bad, as is the case with plastic. However, as we wrote in the previous article, any type of material becomes an issue in an environment where it doesn't belong. Plastic never belongs in nature, not even then when the plastic is bioplastic or biodegradable plastic.
We would like to introduce you to a more positive concept, and thus challenge you to go to nature, take care of your environment, and feel good about yourself. We think it will be the perfect act for your wellbeing! Given how life is for many at the moment, with lockdowns and social restrictions, a positive wellbeing can’t be over exaggerated.
The Swedish trend “plocka upp” a.k.a. plogging, became popular all over the world in 2018 even if picking up trash in nature is nothing new (Australian readers might remember emu parades when they were at school!) Plogging is an eco-friendly running trend, where going out for a jog and picking up trash is combined to create a more varied workout thanks to the bending, stretching, and squatting that is required pick up any trash that is passed.
The Swedes have been plogging since 2016, but the trend has spread further afield to Germany, USA, Mexico, and Finland. If you now type #plogging into Instagram you’ll find 115k images of people collecting trash from nature.
We thought that now, in the times of COVID-19 and with plastic’s strangling grip taking over nature, plogging and trash walking provide us with the perfect way to be more active, have more purpose, and take actions towards a cleaner environment. Moreover, if we all take part in this movement, we can create a strong feeling of community and emotional closeness despite the physical distance enforced upon us.
Népra Goes Plogging Challenge
This spring and summer, we would like to challenge you to clean up the environment near you and go for a trash walk or plogging. When you do that, take a photo or video clip, post it on Instagram use the hashtags #wearnepra and #nepragoesplogging then tag @wearnepra to your photo or the video description.
How to take part to our #nepragoesplogging contest?
*CONTEST ENDED*
- Choose a comfortable & sporty outfit that suits the weather
- Prepare a trash bag and pair of gloves
- Go out and run or take a walk (Remember to maintain a safe distance between yourself and others if you go plogging with a group during the COVID-19 times)
- While running, jogging or walking, pick up the litter you see *
- Take a photo or video during your trash adventure
- When at home, recycle your trash into the right bins
- Wash your hands carefully
- Post your photos on Instagram with hashtags #wearnepra #nepragoesplogging and tag @wearnepra
*NOTE: If you are unsure of your safety when picking up certain items such as pieces of glass, you might want to concentrate on trash that won’t hurt you.
By the end of July, we will draw 5 winners, and each winner can choose their favorite recycled Népra item for free. There is no limit to how many times you post a photo or video. The more often the better, as you will be an inspiration to your community and motivate them to reduce litter in nature too.
Let’s make this summer “trashless" and enjoy the cleaner streets, beaches, and forests.
Love,
Ama, Essi & Elsa
Edited by Alex Burchell
