THERE is a new eco-friendly fitness craze right now, called “plogging.” It is an interesting workout which is great for people who wants to keep in shape and at the same time has a heart to help save the environment.
A combination of “jogging” and the Swedish phrase “plocka up,” meaning to pick up, the essence of this exercise is to clear the road of litter while on a jog. It is a multi-tasking activity that burns calories while keeping the surroundings trash-free.
The addition of movements that come with picking items on the ground, like squatting, bending and stretching, to a regular run increases one’s effort. The more trash that is picked up, the more weight is added to one’s own body weight. The extra load gives additional resistance and further develops the muscles used in jogging.
The trend was started in Sweden in 2016 when Erik Alstrom organized the first ever plogging event in Stockholm and encouraged volunteers to join in response to the rising concern on the ill effects of plastic pollution. The movement spread to the United States, reached Asia and has now swept across the globe. In the Philippines, the plogging fever has caught on with Mindanaoan architects, too.
During the celebration of the annual observance of World Architecture Day (WAD), architects in Southern Mindanao, belonging to various chapters under District D1 of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP), held separate plogging activities in the cities of Davao, General Santos, and Tagum last October 5 and 6, 2018.
To start off the WAD celebration, “Plogging ta sa Davao” was held last October 5, where member architects from different UAP chapters in Davao City actively took part in the event. Starting from different jump off points in the city and taking on different routes, they “plogged” their way to the convergence area at People’s Park, where a short program was held. District D1 Director Mary Joyce Telin was on hand to formally open the 2018 World Architecture Day festivities. The UAP has seven chapters in Davao City, namely: Davao, Mount Apo, Kadayawan Dabaw, Davao Alpha, Datu Bago, Balladaw Dabaw and Sinlayan Dabaw.
The following day, October 6, two more plogging events were held simultaneously in General Santos and Tagum Cities. “Plogging ta sa Gensan” and “Plogging ta sa Tagum” were spearheaded by UAP Socsksargen Chapter and UAP North Davao Chapter, respectively. The Gensan event was held at Plaza Heneral Santos while the Tagum leg took place at Rotary Park.
With the two-day plogging activities, the architects were not only able to collect sackloads of garbage but had a superb exercise as well. It was indeed, a novel way to reduce both non-biodegradable wastes and one’s body weight simultaneously. Incidentally, plogging is found to burn 53 more calories per 30 minutes compared to a regular run.
World Architecture Day is celebrated among the more than one hundred member countries of the UIA (International Union of Architects), the only global organization representing the world’s 3.2 million architects of which the United Architects of the Philippines is affiliated. This year’s theme, “Architecture... for a better world,” aims to draw the attention of professionals and the public to issues concerning cities and housing in urban areas. (Ericson P. Europa, FUAP)