HOW TO MAKE YOUR EXERCISE ROUTINE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
There’s no doubt that moving our bodies and getting in some essential exercise is good for our minds and our bodies. When we are trying to live a more environmentally friendly and sustainable life, there is luckily plenty of ways to get a sweat on, move through a vinyasa flow, pack in those steps, or take a dip without adding to your carbon footprint. So here are 6 ideas to help you make your exercise routine more environmentally friendly.
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Park runs and bootcamps
Running in the park is not only beautiful, it’s free and means it’s just you and nature! No power needed. If you’re in London we have some gorgeous parks like Hyde Park, Victoria Park, Greenwich Park, not to mention Richmond and Bushy Park are nearby too - and if you’re lucky you’ll spot some deer!
If running isn’t your thing or you prefer group exercise, why not join a park bootcamp? Get down and dirty in the outdoors with a heart pumping workout in your local park. BMF with Bear Grylls runs over 500 classes per week in over 140 locations in the UK!
2. Try to always remember your reusable water bottle!
It’s all well and good exercising with zero emissions but if you’re using plastic water bottles for every workout you are contributing a large amount of plastic waste! Instead you could invest in one of our Stay Wild Reusable Water Bottles, which come in two different sizes, so you can stay hydrated while you work up a sweat. So next time you’re headed to the gym, double check you’ve packed your reusable water bottle in your gym bag.
3. Skip the pool and take a swim in the sea or the serpentine
It’s no secret that it takes a bunch of energy to heat a swimming pool all year round, not to mention the energy that it takes to power the building that a public pool is enclosed in. Public pools traditionally use harsh chemicals like Chlorine to kill bacteria, which are not good for the environment. How about swapping the spa for the sea or the Serpentine Lido? Taking a dip in your Stay Wild Swim will never feel as good as getting down with nature and taking a swim with sea life or swans!
4. At Home Workouts
Travelling to a gym in the car, on the train, or the tube can inevitably cause additional CO2 emissions. If you’re going out of your way to head to the gym, why not opt to save time, money and the environment by searching YouTube for an ‘at home’ workout?
We love channels like Yoga with Adriene for yoga and stretching, and our Co-Founder Zanna Van Dijk has some fantastic workouts on her YouTube channel too.
There’s also some fantastic workout accounts on Instagram if you’re looking for a quick little boost at home.
5. Buy Second Hand Workout equipment
If you need to buy any workout equipment to work out from home then try to buy equipment second-hand instead of new. Not only is buying second-hand more sustainable, it will also save you some money!
Here are just a few websites which sell second-hand equipment:
6. Skip the tube and the bus
A simple, cheap and sustainable way to exercise is by skipping the tube and just walking. We can lower our carbon footprint, and pack in those all important steps. Other ways to skip the tube or the bus include cycling, running or scooting (just make sure you wear a helmet!)
