Boise State Students Combine Fitness With Plogging
Students and faculty at Boise State are merging exercise and environmental service through regular group plogging events.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Running
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Boise State University is expanding its campus plogging program, a movement that pairs jogging or walking with litter collection. The initiative aims to improve local environmental health while supporting university landscape maintenance crews.
Why it matters
Plogging offers a dual benefit by integrating physical activity with community service. These regular events help reduce the workload for campus groundskeepers while fostering environmental stewardship among participants in Boise.
Event participation data indicates a growth in engagement, with a recent Trash Busters team totaling 30 volunteers compared to a maximum of 20 at prior events. While these figures show increasing interest, the total volume of litter removed during these efforts remains unmeasured.
The players
Office of Sustainability
A Boise State University department focused on managing campus environmental programs and reducing institutional waste.
Rivers United
An organization that hosted a community plogging event in April 2026.
Pratiksha Lama
An individual who began participating in plogging activities in September 2026.
The details
Participants engage in plogging by combining walking or jogging with the collection of discarded trash across campus grounds, such as at Albertsons Stadium. This activity effectively turns a routine exercise session into an active community service effort that assists the university landscape services crew in keeping the area clean.
Timeline
Boise Plogs 2025 took place during the spring of 2025.
Rivers United hosted a plogging event in April 2026.
Pratiksha Lama began plogging in September 2026.
A plogging event occurred at Albertsons Stadium in October 2026.
The Office of Sustainability has a campus plogging event scheduled for November 2, 2026.
Health Landscape
Boise State Universitys litter reduction program reflects a broader trend of integrating wellness activities with sustainable campus practices. This approach marks a departure from traditional independent exercise by prioritizing communal health and environmental maintenance.
Plogging allows you to incorporate functional movement, such as frequent bending and squatting, into your regular walking or jogging routine. If you have concerns about back or joint health, it is worth discussing with your doctor how to safely incorporate these added movements into your exercise.
The takeaway
Plogging serves as a simple way to burn extra calories while actively improving your local environment. To get started, consider registering for local cleanup events via the Campus Groups platform or initiating a personal routine during your next walk.
What happens next
The Office of Sustainability is hosting an upcoming campus plogging event on November 2, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more ways to combine fitness with outdoor activity in our Running section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Arbiter.
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