Though the concept of running whilst collecting rubbish isn’t new, and undoubtedly something that people have been doing under the radar for years, the word plogging and associated movement began in Sweden in 2016, the brainchild of Erik Ahlström. After relocating to Stockholm from a small ski-resort in northern Sweden, Ahlström was shocked by the amount of rubbish he could see when cycling to work. Realizing that the same bits of trash could remain on the road for weeks, he got into the habit of picking them up, gradually incorporating this into his exercise routine. As others began to join in, the idea eventually spread, leading to organized events across the country, and plogging was officially born.