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Bristol University activist finishes 'plogging' tour of 30 cities

University of Bristol Vivek Gurav holding a litter grabber and bin bagUniversity of Bristol
Mr Gurav graduated from his MSc in Environmental Policy and Management at the University of Bristol in November

An environmentalist has picked up 360kg (56 stone) of rubbish during a 'plogging' tour of the UK.

Vivek Gurav wants to inspire others to take up plogging, which is the act of picking litter while running, like he did in India and Bristol.

Mr Gurav visited 30 cities during his 30-day tour and litter picked with the help of 250 local volunteers.

"It was a great experience and it was really nice to have so many people come out and support," he said.

His 1,500 mile (2414km) tour using public transport included visits to Wolverhampton, Manchester, Stoke, Leeds, Liverpool, Lincoln and London.

"It feels fantastic to have seen almost all the major cities in the UK in the shortest span while also doing something I love," Mr Gurav said.

University of Bristol Vivek Gurav with a group of volunteersUniversity of Bristol
"It was a great experience and it was really nice to have so many people come out and support," Mr Gurav said.

The 27-year-old began plogging in his home city of Pune, western India, where he and many volunteers have picked up one million kg of litter over the past five years.

He brought his enthusiasm for plogging to the UK in 2021, when he left India for the first time to take up a scholarship at the University of Bristol.

His plogging group has since become a common sight in the city.

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