New Delhi: A unique first of its kind national event, the India Plog Run 2019 is being orgnaised across multiple locations in India. The campaign aims to combat the increasing threat from plastic pollution by bringing together the most powerful stakeholders in environmental conservation: citizens themselves.
India Plog Run will be held in 50 cities across the country on October 2, 2019 in honour of Gandhi Jayanti and to commemorate 5 years of the Swacchh Bharat Abhiyaan.
Plogging is a combination of jogging with picking up litter (Swedish: plocka upp). It started as an organised activity in Sweden around 2016 and spread to other countries in 2018, following increased concern about plastic pollution. As a workout, it provides variation in body movements by adding bending, squatting and stretching to the main action of running, hiking, or walking.
India Plog Run is a ‘first of its kind’ initiative by United Way India under the leadership of Ramakrishna Ganesh supported by Go Native that brings together some of the country’s biggest names in health, corporate and industry to highlight the need for reducing plastic consumption and compel a healthier way of managing trash.
“By conducting one of the country’s first Plog run, we hope to make garbage collection fun, healthy, empowering and the environment a better place to live in. It is in the power of community that true transformation lies”, Ramakrishna Ganesh told India CSR
Under the aegis of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, we hope to use plogging as a community activity that combines inherent health benefits with a larger purpose of mobilising the community for greater good”, Ganesh said.
In 2018, The Bengaluru Plog Run led to the collection of 33.4 tons of plastic waste by more than 7000 participants in under 12 hours. This subsequently led to the entry of the Bengaluru Plog Run into the Guinness Book of World Records.
Manish Michael, CEO, United Way India said, “India produces 25,940 tons of plastic waste daily out of which 10,000 tons remain uncollected as stated by the Central Pollution Control Board. Waste such as this accumulates in public spaces and eventually enters water bodies thereby causing irreparable damage to the environment and marine life. As India celebrated 73 years as an independent nation, the Hon’ble Prime Minister in his speech from the Red Fort emphasized the gravity of the issue by strongly urging citizens to join the crusade against single use plastic on 2nd October.”
“Plogging is a Swedish concept that gradually made its presence felt in the European nations. The India Plog Run 2019 introduces this radical and innovative method of conservation to the Indian public. Through the proactive participation of every individual, we hope to create communities committed to maintaining the ecological balance of their neighborhoods,” added Anvitha Prashanth, Founder, Go Native.
To register, please visit https://in.bookmyshow.com/sports/india-plog-run/ET00109980 or www.indiaplog.run
Each participant will be equipped with a kit comprising of safety gloves, aprons and garbage bags in preparation for the India Plog Run 2019.
