Chongqing - Plugging has been popular among environmentally conscious locals and expatriates, which means running and picking up trash on the way. Katalina Sogor, a Hungarian, started the Trash Running Plogging Group in 2018 in Shanghai, and now it has flourished in 16 cities across China with more than 4000 regular participants.
"We combine the sports with the environmental protection and kind of try to make it a social and a fun thing," said Katalina.
In the meantime, the group encourages people to realize they can all take the initiative. In the long term, raising awareness of these environmental issues is important.
Katalina came to Chongqing last year and thought that Chongqing was no different from other cities in China, inevitably with some trash on the streets. But she also noticed that people are becoming more aware of environmental issues. For example, sustainability is becoming trendy, and people try to adopt those concepts daily.
And on a different level, she pointed out that the policymakers are prioritizing these things, such as some initiatives like re-sourcing, "Clear Your Plate"campaign, and the strategic goals for China, such as reducing carbon footprint.
Katalina used to study in Taipei and then moved to Shanghai for work and came to Chongqing.
"I see how quickly this country has been changing. And this dynamic is part of everyday life. I find it exciting to be part of this," said Katalina.
The ultimate goal of the Plugging Group is not to exist to solve environmental problems. "We hope there will be no pressure on the streets, and then we can just be a regular running club," she said.
"In the shorter term, we hope to grow as a community, not just as trash running as a brand, but also as a group of people who are environmentally aware, open to new initiatives, and willing to take action."
(Chen Qian, as an intern, also contributed to the report.)