Imagine a world in which we applied the same dedication to our fitness goals as we did to the planet. With Earth Day approaching on April 22nd, this serves as a great reminder to incorporate green habits into your regimen. With any goal, it’s important to be realistic about what you will stick to in your daily routine. We’ve put together a list of suggestions to adopt a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle:
Invest In A Reusable Water Bottle
Reusable water bottles are beneficial because they reduce plastic waste, can help protect you from toxic chemicals, and helps keep track of how much water you’re drinking. A reusable water bottle requires less oil to manufacture than a plastic one and thus reduces pollution and greenhouse gases.
Shake Up Your Commute
If you are in close proximity to the gym, take your bike, walk, or run instead of driving. By going on foot or bike to the gym, fewer gas emissions are released. Additionally, you can save money on gas by choosing to go on foot, and this can double as the cardio portion of your workout!
Donate Old Workout Clothes to Secondhand Stores
Throughout the many stages of our fitness journeys, our bodies can change over time. In the case that you can no longer wear the same workout gear anymore, you can donate your garments to thrift stores and consignment shops. Why not pass along your old shorts and leggings to someone else who could reuse the item themselves instead of purchasing a brand-new piece of clothing? Purchasing second-hand clothing helps reduce carbon emissions, and saves resources such as water and energy.
Reduce Your Post-Workout Shower Time
We’ve all been guilty of being the hot water hogger from time to time. By taking shorter showers, you can simultaneously conserve energy and water. When you take your next shower after your workout, set yourself a timer for four minutes, or you can create a playlist of songs that runs four minutes long. Another great way to minimize your shower time is the Navy Shower method. For this approach, you can turn the water on for 30 seconds to wet your hair, face, and body, turn off the water to lather yourself with shampoo and body wash, and then turn the water back on to rinse off.
Even incorporating one or two of these tips into your daily routine can greatly reduce your carbon footprint. Making eco-friendly changes can help in a multitude of ways; whether it’s limiting our waste production, conserving more energy, or contributing to the overall improvement of human life. We invest in our health through fitness and eating habits, but we often forget that our health is just as dependent on the quality of our environment. Implementing new eco-friendly habits will help create more consciousness of the products we’re using and their impact on the planet.