Due to the restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, many community gatherings and events have been postponed or canceled. Popular events in Cheyenne Cañon have been no exception.

In May, we were forced to cancel the annual Hummingbird Festival held at the Starsmore Learning Center. We have also canceled regular volunteer trail workdays due to restrictions on the size of groups allowed to volunteer in city parks, although in early July we were able to hold a small crew leader training weekend with the Rocky Mountain Field Institute, and the following weekend a small group from the National Charity League volunteered to help dig out steps on Mount Muscoco.

Another canceled project was our annual spring clean-up volunteer day. This event was especially missed as the city sees increased usage of the parks which, unfortunately, results in more trash on the trails.

As an alternative to that group activity, The Friends of Cheyenne Cañon are encouraging park-goers to participate individually or in smaller groups in a “virtual” clean-up event by plogging during your regular hikes.

What is “plogging”? In 2016, Swedish joggers started picking up litter during their runs. “Pick up” (“plocka upp” in Swedish) plus “jogging” equals plogging. The activity caught on and spread to other nations within a few short years. Periodically squatting or bending over during a run adds a new level of effort to the exercise, increasing health benefits. By some estimates, a plogger can burn 288 calories in half an hour compared to 235 calories from regular jogging.

It can also have a major impact on beautifying our public spaces and removing plastics and other waste from the environment. In 2018, the Keep America Beautiful organization adopted plogging with a 5K Trash Dash in Connecticut. Participants collected 700 pounds of litter and recyclables.

To join the inaugural Cheyenne Cañon Plogathon, just take a bag along on your next hike and toss in any litter you find along the trail. (Maybe it’s a “plike” rather than a “plog”?)

For safety’s sake, you are encouraged to wear gloves and not handle anything potentially hazardous, such as animal waste or sharp items. Disinfect and wash your hands after your plog. Then take a photo and e-mail it to friends@cheyennecanon.org. Include your mailing address and we might send you some cool Friends of Cheyenne Cañon swag. We may also include your photo in an upcoming newsletter and/or on our website.

Thanks for doing your part, and we’ll look forward to seeing you out on the trail.

If you have ideas for topics to cover in future Cañon Echo articles, send them to Rob@cheyennecanon.org.