One of my regular walking routes passes by three schools – elementary, middle and high school. I try to avoid walking when the students are out and about, not that it isn’t entertaining. The fashion show alone is worth the price of admission. All I can think is, my mother would have killed me.
Anyway, I woke up from my customary daze one day and realized there was a lot of trash along the route. It occurred to me I could pick it up, with proper outfitting, of course. At first, I was like, ick, why should I clean up after the little bastards? But then my higher self emerged, and I started thinking about supplies.
Picking up litter while exercising is sometimes called plogging, an activity that started in Sweden. Sometimes people wear rubber gloves and pick up trash with their hands. It has been said bending and stooping is good for you, but I can assure you, it is not good for me.
I purchased grabbers on Amazon for $13.99. The first time I went out, I took a plastic trash bag, but it was awkward to hold and difficult to keep open wide for depositing the litter. An Internet search led me to Bigmouth Bagger, which features an over-the-shoulder litter bag holder made by a retiree in Virginia. Cost was $37.05. Free shipping, and it came quickly.
Other accessories include:
- FlipBelt for holding my phone (for emergencies and music)
- Wireless ear buds for my listening pleasure
- Rainier tight from Athleta
- Land’s End fleece sweater purchased through Amazon
- Hoka One One Speedgoat 4 trail running shoes (I wear them for everything, including golf)
- And for my Canadian friends, my old Tilley hat
Aside from looking stylish, I very much enjoy plogging and am happy to do something positive for my community. So far, I’ve been sticking to the paved trails. I see trash in the median, which is gnarly, but I seem to fill up a bag just fine without going down in there.
There may come a day when I’d do the ditch, but I’d need backup to watch for traffic, snakes, etc. And certainly bullet-proof pants. Not my fancy Athleta tights. Then again, I may never go in there.
I carry a 13-gallon bag, which is mostly full when I’m done. The new rig from Bigmouth Bagger makes it easy and comfortable. Totally worth the money.
There are some items I just won’t mess with. Bottles with visible amounts of liquid in them. I can’t really tell if the lid is sealed, and I don’t want to deal with the potential mess. Anything big, heavy or sloppy will have to wait for a more stalwart plogger.
Music makes the time pass quickly. I’ve also made some new friends who stop to thank me or express an interest in plogging as well. Litter sucks, and people seem to appreciate efforts to clean it up.
What do you suppose is the number one litter of choice?
You guessed it. Masks. Miscellaneous plastic, odd bits of paper and Styrofoam, candy wrappers and empty plastic bottles round out the list.
Just so you know, the grabber is multi-purpose. I use it to wave back at people and more importantly, to spin it around in time to the music. That might be why they call me the crazy old lady plogger.
You don’t think they really call me that, do you?
Way to go. Exercising and being productive!
I figured I was going to be out there anyway.
I love the Grabber. I have two: the short handled one to grab the laundry out of the front load washer and dryer which are not on pedestals and are deep, so I have to bend down and in to get laundry. We inherited these with the house and have repaired rather than replace them but I’m hoping for death beyond repair so that I can get a better setup for my back. I use the long handled one in my studio…it can pick up the smallest thread and fabric scraps…they are amazing grabbers.
And although I’ve favored the Altra brand for my feet, with Sole insoles, I’ve heard a lot about the Hoka Goat trail shoes. I plan to try those on, along with another Altra brand at my local running store when I replace my current Altra’s. Although most of my walking is done on pavement, I do have an all terrain rollator that goes on the forest trails too. I used to do a lot of hiking so I’ve trended toward hiking shoes over running or walking shoes for a long time.
I applaud your plugging! Since my walking is mostly done on the interconnecting 8 miles of paved trails that run amongst our homes and into 75 acres of open space where I live, there is no litter to pick up. Amazingly, the people who live here don’t seem to litter at all, yay, people! I wish I could say the same of some of the dog owners. We have high end dog poop bags and receptacles for disposal all through the trail areas. I never used to pick up other dog’s poop, only my own dog’s. I was in the “I’ve picked up after enough children, husbands and irresponsible colleagues enough. I’m not picking up after inconsiderate dog owners.” However, as I notice that some of my fellow elders who walk dogs, have trouble enough walking, I realized that maybe some of them can’t pick up after their dogs. I’m glad that they are out there getting all important exercise, so now I pick up the errant mess that wasn’t made by my dog, hoping that indeed, I’m picking up for someone who cannot do so, and not for someone who is being an…well, you know what.
Incidentally, I’m pleased with the Curable app that you recommended and from that “group” discovered Kevin Soares of Norway on Insight Timer, who tells me how wonderful I am each evening/wee hours, when I can’t sleep. Very hypnotic voice, and who doesn’t want to hear that they are cared for deeply, and “doing good” when fighting insomnia. I also read The Way Out, a recommendation from the group and am reading I think, the best book yet, Your Resonant Self, by Sarah Peyton. Of course I want the miracle cure that many who do this mind/body work obtain, but I’m happy that so far I’ve reduced pain by about 80%. That’s a win, so thank you for talking about mind/body/pain management in your blog. It’s a process well worth sticking with.
That was plogging. Darned autocorrect!
It sounds like we live in similar neighborhoods — high-end dog poop stations, paved interconnected trails. One of the other trails I like has virtually no litter. The schools seem to be the problem. I’m not necessarily blaming the kids. It could be all the parents coming to pick them up!
I used to wear Altra at the recommendation of a sports doctor years ago. He liked the zero drop. I switched to Hoka when I read an opinion that shoes should be thick and stiff. I tried it, and thick and stiff wins for me. If they bend, I don’t buy. I believe the Hoka website details the drop information for each of their shoes.
Thank you for your comments about the mind-body connection. It’s hard for some people to accept, but it seems to be working for me. My sciatica results in leg pain, often at night. If I wake up, I try to do 10 big deep breaths, and the pain subsides. Working through the emotional stuff helps a lot. I will check out that book!
Love this, Donna!
Plogging – great new word and activity. I used to do this (on a much smaller scale than you) and still carry a plastic bag in my backpack for packing out any trash I find on the trails. Nitrile gloves would be a good thing to pack too, especially these days. Not thinking of disease per se, but more of trash items being contaminated with fentanyl etc.
Deb
I will pack some gloves, but I am very, very careful not to touch ANYTHING. Trash goes into the bag with the grabbers and stays there.
This is so awesome, Donna — a total win-win all around!
BTW – I absolutely love the Tilley hat!!
Thanks. I love this hat, too. About 15 years old, I believe.
Good for you! I see trash along my walking path, including lots of masks. It amazes me how just throwing stuff on the ground is okay with some people.
It is amazing. There’s another area adjacent to a road with more traffic, and it’s horrible. I’d need backup support before I go in there!
Did you ever watch Mad Men? I can’t unsee the episode where they have a picnic in the park and just leave all their trash when they’re done.
I love this. I need to get me a hat. I also opt for thick and stiff especially as I probate just a tad. I like my Asics but will have to explore further. I hate all the masks I see elsewhere on the ground. I dint do the crouching thing well. One of the reasonsi haven’t gotten a dog. Walking with a long handled proper scooper just doesn’t seem me!
One of my new buddies on the trail uses a mobility scooter. She keeps a small plastic bag in the scooter and one of the grabbers like I have. She told me she can’t reach some of the litter, but she does what she can. My husband even said there are a couple of masks on the more remote trail where he goes, and next time he’s taking a glove and a small plastic bag to scoop them up.
It seems to me you do a lot of good things already, so if picking up litter is problematic, I personally will give you a pass!
When you do something, you do it right!! Love all your plogging gear. And kudos for accomplishing more than just exercise on your walk.
Thanks! I would never do it, but yesterday I was wondering what would happen if I wore a tutu?
I’m sure you’d get some strange looks. But it might be fun to try!! Why be boring???
I’m impressed by your diligence, tenacity and willingness to do good for your community! I never heard the term plogging, thanks for enlightening me. That being said, I won’t be partaking even though I’m an avid walker. ‘Round these parts, litter collection is the domain of inmates and community service recipients; I don’t want to be mistaken for either.
Ah, I didn’t see that possibility.