Plogger Vivek Gurav brings his eco-friendly jogging and litter picking mission to Portsmouth

A ‘PLOGGER’ – that’s jogging while litter picking – is coming Portsmouth as he aims to help clean 30 cities in 30 days.
Chris Broom
By Chris Broom
Published 18th Dec 2022, 11:29 BST
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Over the past year, Vivek Gurav and his volunteers have picked up 5,000kg of rubbish, including 3,000kg of plastic, all while out running. He began plogging in India in 2018 and didn’t want to stop when he left home for the first time in September 2021, to take up a University of Bristol scholarship.

Since then, he has covered 420 miles on 120 plogging ‘missions’, and has been joined by volunteers from 180 countries His efforts saw him featured on the BBC One Show and pick up a special award from then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In October, he was invited to 10 Downing Street by newly minted PM Rishi Sunak and in November he spoke at COY17 (the youth version of COP27).

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Now, he is taking the show on the road – where he hopes to inspire others to set-up plogging groups around the country. On a route that takes in Oxford, Reading Brighton and London, among many more, he arrives in Portsmouth.

Vivak Gurav plogging - jogging and litter picking - on the streets of BristolVivak Gurav plogging - jogging and litter picking - on the streets of Bristol
Vivak Gurav plogging - jogging and litter picking - on the streets of Bristol

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‘I have only been plogging in Bristol but I kept getting asked by people in other cities to come plogging there,’ Vivek said. ‘So I decided to do a plogging challenge across 30 UK cities. Ultimately, I want to set-up a UK-wide plogging community like I did back in India. So, if I can go out plogging across the UK, orientate people, give them a blueprint, then they can start their own groups.’

The former app developer has been joined by fellow ploggers, environmentalists and keen runners as he tours the UK via public transport. He has already visited many UK cities, including Derby, Nottingham, Leeds, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Leicester, Birmingham and Worcester.

Vivek graduated from his master’s in Environmental Policy and Management MSc in November. He is now working for an environmental consultancy while continuing his plogging missions.

He plans to use the skills he has learnt in the UK to help make India more sustainable. Follow his journey via his Instagram page, theplogman.

Related topics:IndiaPortsmouthBoris JohnsonBristolOxford