Eco-Friendly Fitness
One New Years resolution that most people make is to get fit and/or lose weight, but what if you are and eco-conscious individual? How do fitness and the environment work together? Well lots of ways! One of the most eco-friendly fitness exercises is through basic walking or running. The great thing about these exercises is they require very little equipement and all you need is a front door to walk through and get out into the neighborhood!
Here are just a few ecological benefits of walking/running:
- fresh air, no air conditioning needed when the street is your gym!
- meet your neighbors, good neighbors mean a good social network
- very little equipment needed, most of which we all already own
- low carbon impact due to needing less equipment
- lighter/healthier you is better for the environment
The things I love about running are that I can just pull on some loose clothing and my sneakers and simply head out and do it. No hopping into a car and heading to the gym to run on a treadmill for 45 minutes! The world outside is my treadmill! Even if I am just walking around the neighborhood with my dogs instead of running, I always find new and interesting ways in which this activity assists in my quest to become more sustainable and lower my carbon impact. On my daily runs during last year I :
- Met new neighbors with whom I need swap seeds with and compare gardening notes
- found some curbside treasures for free :)
- lost 20 lbs combined with a healthier diet
- got my daily does of Vitamin D being out in the sun
- keep my dogs in shape, thus reducing their carbon footprint
Equipment
Sure the basic attire of a pair of sweat pants combined with a t-shirt and a pair of sneakers works but what if you want to buy something new for the new year, new body, new you? Well now there are many options available for the eco-conscious fitness fanatic! Whether it's sustainable clothing or eco-friendly foorwear, there are many companies manufacturing products using recycled materials, organic cotton or fair trade practices. Whatever your desires there is a company out there for you.
Regardless of whether you walk or run, getting yourself in shape is a great way to assist in lowering your carbon footprint!