'Plogging'
'Plogging', the running that mixes ecology and sport
Plogging is a new sustainable initiative invented in Sweden which combines sports like jogging with caring for the environment. The more than 20,000 people who do it each day — in over 100 different countries — pick up rubbish that they find on the ground when they go out running. Fancy a go?
The global running craze shows no sign of slowing down. The Strava app, one of the most widely used by amateur athletes to track and share their activities, reached 180 million registered users across more than 185 countries by 2025 and recorded billions of activities. Can you imagine how much rubbish these runners could collect by doing a bit of plogging?
What is plogging? Origins and history
Plogging is a global movement that originated in Sweden, combining running and other outdoor sports with the collection of litter that is found in our cities and natural spaces. The idea behind this sustainable initiative is very simple: participants – ploggers – head out onto the streets with a bin bag to collect the litter they come across while exercising.
The word plogging comes from the Swedish plocka upp (pick up) and the English word jogging. The pioneer of this activity was Erik Ahlström, who, on leaving his hometown in 2016 to settle in Stockholm, started to clean up the rubbish in the areas where he practised his sport. Soon after, Ahlström's routine spread throughout Sweden as a result of popular events and today, thanks to social media, it is a global phenomenon involving over 20,000 people a day in more than 100 countries.
Plogging benefits
SEE INFOGRAPHIC: The 5 great benefits of running and 'plogging' [PDF]
Advice for taking up plogging
The initiative's website, Plogga, gives ploggers some tips on how to get into this activity, which only needs a bag, some running shoes and half an hour a day. These are the main ones:
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Go 'plogging' in a group
Like other individual sports, this activity is more fun if you get together with other people to do it.
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Combine it with other exercises
When picking up litter from the ground, do so while doing squats or one-legged squats. Bending down will improve the joint mobility of your hips, adductors and ankles.
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Switch the bag from one arm to the other
Switch it frequently to avoid muscle stiffness from always carrying the weight on the same side. Also, wear gloves to keep your hands clean.
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Do short, fast sprints
To improve your cardiovascular fitness it's a good idea to run less than 10 kilometres and add intensity to your session by climbing, jumping or varying your pace.
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Include competitive elements
Play in teams with other ploggers to see who can collect the most rubbish in the shortest time. At the end of the session, see how much rubbish you have and take it to the nearest recycling point.
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Try it with other sports
Plogging isn't limited to running. You can also do it if you enjoy walking, rowing or cycling.
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Share your activity on social networks
Take photos of your sessions and post them on networks using the hashtag #Plogging. This can inspire others and help spread the word about the movement.
Ploggers - strength in unity
One of the most surprising aspects of 'plogging' is its rapid international growth. In scarcely 3 years, the initial impulse of an anonymous citizen has spread like wildfire through 5 continents, and almost all the world's major cities, like London, Mexico City and Seoul have 'plogging' groups.
The contributory factors to the success of this initiative include, for example, growing concern for ecology and a healthy lifestyle, the fashion for jogging, and the simplicity and community spirit engendered by 'plogging' amongst its followers. Fans of this practice develop typical sporting values such as companionship, solidarity, effort and perseverance at the same time as emphasising their commitment to the environment.
The North American news portal BuzzFeed News reports that the litter that 'ploggers' pick up the most includes single-use plastics such as bottles and plastic tops, sandwich and sweet wrappers, fast food packaging, lids, straws and disposable cutlery.
Collecting, sorting and recycling: the next step
The aim of plogging doesn't end when you've picked up a piece of litter. To maximise the impact of the activity it's important to sort the materials and dispose of them correctly so that they can receive the treatment they need:
- Plastic packaging and tins can be placed in the yellow bin.
- Glass should go in the green bin.
- Paper and cardboard go in the blue bin.
Proper recycling helps to conserve resources and reduce the environmental impact of waste management. According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the circular economy promotes the reuse of materials, reduces the extraction of raw materials and can help create more sustainable and resilient societies. Therefore, sorting waste ensures it is processed appropriately and, where possible, turned into raw materials for manufacturing new products.
Iberdrola's commitment to recycling and the circular economy
This practice of collecting waste and then recycling it forms part of the principles of the circular economy, which aims to keep materials in use for as long as possible and minimise waste generation. At Iberdrola we are working to integrate the circular economy into our operations and across our entire value chain. Our approach prioritises reducing the consumption of raw materials, extending the useful life of products and equipment and when they reach the end of their useful life ensuring their reuse and recycling. These principles form part of our circular economy policy.
This strategy also applies to the components of renewable energy installations. In the case of wind turbine blades, Iberdrola recycles or reuses a high percentage of decommissioned units and through EnergyLOOP it has had a recycling plant in operation since 2025 that already processes blades from wind farms undergoing repowering in Spain. Furthermore, we have set ourselves the target of recycling 90% of wind turbine blades and solar panels by 2030.
In this way, our commitment to the circular economy aims to keep materials in the production cycle for longer and minimise waste generation, contributing to a more efficient and sustainable energy model.