TrashDash’ event Saturday blends exercise with litter pickup in The Cov
COVINGTON, Ky. – “Plogging.”
Called “the union of ecology and sport,” a trendy new initiative that combines jogging with picking up trash along the way might have gotten its start in Sweden, but this weekend it’s happening in Covington and other cities across Kentucky.
This Saturday (March 4), volunteers will gather at Braxton Brewing Co., then fan out – in teams or individually – along one of three routes to pick up litter.
Covington is one of 8 locations around the Commonwealth to participate in the first-ever Plogging Across the Bluegrass event, being organized locally by the non-profit Keep Covington Beautiful and the City’s Solid Waste & Recycling Division.
The “TrashDash” events are being used to kick off the overall Keep Kentucky Beautiful anti-litter campaign, said Sheila Fields, the City’s Solid Waste & Recycling Manager, who on Monday traveled to Frankfort for a press conference announcing the initiative.
“We all have the same goal: to prevent and eliminate litter,” Fields said. “Litter, whether intentional or accidental, affects environmental, community, and individual health as well as quality of life, economic development, the circularity of the economy, safety of our water, environmental justice and our climate.”
First defined in 2016, the word “plogging” is a blend of two Swedish phrases: “plocka upp,” meaning “pick up,” and “jogga,” or “jogging.” It’s done along hiking trails or along urban sidewalks as a way to encourage people to help keep their communities clean while promoting exercise and healthy living.
Volunteers should register for Covington’s event by Wednesday at Plogging Across the Bluegrass.
The event begins at 11 a.m. at Braxton Brewing Co., 27 West Seventh St., where participants will be provided with instructions and supplies.
Participants can choose from three routes – an Eastside Route, Westside Route, or Southside Route. You can put together a team of ploggers or plog solo, and you can run, walk, or jog.
Registrants will receive a limited addition “Keep Kentucky Beautiful” t-shirt, and top trash collectors will receive cash prizes. Note that Braxton Brewing Company is hosting an after-party.
Statewide, the plogging events run from March 3 through 5, and will see joggers and walkers participate in the waste abatement initiative in Frankfort, Louisville, Lexington, Campbell County, Newport, Bowling Green, Pendleton County, and Covington.
Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman was on hand at Monday’s media conference to proclaim March 3 as Plogging Across Kentucky Day, and state officials spoke about the economic impact of litter, its cost burden, and what the state’s Energy & Environment Cabinet is doing to tackle the issue.
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