WATCH: Durban man keeps environment and himself healthy with plogging

WORLD Health Day, which is celebrated annually on April 7, encourages people around the world to keep humans and the planet healthy.

The day is about drawing attention to foster a movement to “create societies focused on well-being” according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and this year’s theme is Our Planet, Our Health. 

One of the biggest threats to our planet is climate change and the threat of plastic pollution.

Durban resident Grant Harper feels this can be achieved through plogging, a fitness movement that combines jogging while picking up litter.

The term is derived from a Swedish word which combines “plocka upp”, which means “picking up” and jogging which gives you plogging.

“I heard about plogging a few years ago and I care about the environment and enjoy running, whether it’s on the trail or on the road. All you need to plog is your normal running gear, bags for litter and you are on your way. My route is centered around Durban North where I live. The length which you run doesn’t matter as long as you are exercising and picking up litter,” he explained. 

“I plog once a week and I find that in this area, single use plastics like plastic bottles and coffee cups are often discarded on the roadside or on verges. On average I can collect as many as eight bags of rubbish and I discard them at the nearest bin. Personally I would love to see more people do plogging as you can do it on your own time and choose where you’d like to do it.”