According to the research conducted by the National Forest Service the problem of trash pollution of green spaces in Poland is serious and widespread. In 2019 alone the total cost of forest cleanup was PLN 19 million. Sometimes it’s the runners who contribute to the problem, leaving behind used water bottles and other trash. To address these issues, we would like to promote plogging – a combination of running and garbage cleanup. The sport is popular in Scandinavia, but relatively unknown in Poland.
We conducted a nationwide campaign promoting plogging, eco-running, and environmental conservation. It was directed primarily at runners, race organizers in Poland, and local governments organizing sporting events. During the Piwniczna-Zdrój Running Festival, one of the biggest running events in Poland, we have promoted the concept of plogging and conducted a series of educational events focused on eco-running. We conducted a plogging action during four runs. The best time wasn’t the main objective, but rather a focus on running combined with collecting trash.
Thanks to the project we managed to increase the knowledge of our participants on the subject of environmental protections and ecological approach to the sport. Thanks to plogging initiatives during runs we were able to popularize that type of activity in Poland, which has been confirmed by photos and accounts from a running app we have created.