Plogging & Pirogues
Two unusual bursts of mobility this month
If for your summer expeditions you seek the most efficient way to get from Point A to Point B, Google Maps has you covered. (Family feuds have been sparked by the revelation, at midnight deep in the moonless Zwolle woods, that the car’s navigator was wielding Yahoo! Maps instead.)
But for smaller bursts of mobility, mark your calendars for two unusual events this month: A no-brainer for the spotless Scandinavians, “plogging” adds a do-good dimension to outdoor runs—scoop up litter while you’re at it! The jaunty term is a portmanteau of “jogging” and “plocka upp” (Swedish for “pick up”) and made its debut in Baton Rouge last month in a Mid City event hosted by Elifin Realty.
Mathew Laborde, president and CEO at Elifin, caught a viral video of the activity online; one Facebook share, thirty-two comments, and a full inbox later, he reckoned Baton Rouge was interested in joining him for a spot of plogging.
The June outing resulted in forty bags of trash plogged from Mid City streets. That night, at Curbside Burgers, participants enjoyed drink specials and awards to “Most Litter Plogged” and “Most Unique Piece of Litter Plogged” (a barely-there piece of Mardi Gras underwear). Elifin plans a second outing for July 11, meeting at 6 pm at Superior Grill on Government Street. “We plan to do one a month; we’ll definitely be branching out across the city,” said Laborde. Now an experienced plogger himself, he recommends a sturdy trash bag, or using two, and gardening gloves—“That’s a next-level move.” facebook.com/elifinrealty.
No need to credit a Swede for the Jean Lafitte Pirogue Races, which will take place Bayou Barataria on July 21. The pirogue races began back in 1934 and after a two-decade hiatus will return to the bayou on July 21, 10 am–6 pm. Competitors will do their best to balance in the especially shallow and slender racing pirogues, with additional challenges in blindfolded races and duck-decoy pickup sprees. For the landlubbers, there’ll be food, live music from Sumtin’ Sneaky, and history lessons on Cajun boatbuilding and pirogue races—and lots to watch on the water. townofjeanlafitte.com.
—Lucie Monk Carter