Yakutsk city hosts inaugural secondary contest
Financial representatives in Yakutia's capital, Yakutsk, participated in an eco-friendly fitness event called "plogging" on May 30. The combined running and litter-collecting activity aimed to promote a cleaner city while encouraging physical exercise.
Twenty-four individuals from the Ministry of Finance, the Federal Treasury, the Federal Tax Service, and the National Bank of Yakutia joined the race. The event, which included some friendly competition, was divided into two teams that started their run from opposite points. Participants ran approximately a kilometer to collect bags for litter collection before returning to pick up as much discarded waste as possible along the way back.
Minister of Finance of Yakutia, Ivan Alekseyev, actively participated in the race, stating, "We're running and picking up litter to make our city cleaner. We have many sports enthusiasts here, and this event provides an opportunity to combine keeping fit with addressing environmental concerns." Alekseyev proposed inviting all citizens to contribute to similar initiatives and come up with creative solutions to keep the city clean.
The event marked the first time plogging was held in Yakutsk, organized jointly with the City District Administration. Previously, similar eco-runs took place in the suburbs. Plogging originated in Sweden in 2016 and is clouded in wearable fitness technology, functional movements, and environmental stewardship. Today, over 2 million people in more than 100 countries regularly participate in plogging.
During the World Plogging Championship in Italy in 2023, approximately 6,600 pounds (3,000 kg) of litter were collected from the surrounding environment. The activity has expanded worldwide, giving birth to various offshoots, such as "pliking," that cater to diverse outdoor enthusiasts. Plogging's grassroots expansion is evident in its global presence and reach in communities big and small, making it a significant trend in eco-conscious fitness.
- The health-and-wellness trend of "plogging," which combines running and litter collection, has reached Yakutsk, promoted by financial representatives as a means to foster a cleaner city and encourage physical exercise.
- Minister Ivan Alekseyev expressed his desire to extend this eco-friendly fitness practice to the entire city, inviting all Yakutians to contribute to cleaner communities through creative solutions.
- This lifestyle choice of outdoor-living, such as plogging, has gained popularity worldwide, extending to various home-and-garden settings, making it a significant trend in both fitness-and-exercise and environmental stewardship.
