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4 Ways to Green Your Workout

Written by Greystar
Edited by Greystar
Greystar Green February 15, 2016

It may be hard to imagine that the way you exercise could have an impact on the environment, but it can. Here are four ways you can make your workouts more eco-friendly.

Use Reusable or Recyclable Bottles

In the U.S. only about one-quarter of plastic bottles are recycled. Do the environment a favor and purchase a reusable water bottle.

Donate Your Sneakers

When your sneakers can’t keep up with your workout routine, donate them rather than throwing them out.  Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program recycles athletic shoes into surfaces for tracks, playgrounds, and outdoor basketball and tennis courts. Another great program is Soles4Souls. Your donated shoes will be distributed to those in need around the world.

Walk or Bike to Work

If you normally drive to work, consider walking or strapping on a helmet and going for a nice bike ride. You’ll help the planet and get easy, low impact cardio benefits too.

Buy Eco-Friendly Fitness Clothes and Products

If you’re into yoga, Gaiam sells yoga mats that don’t contain harmful phalates. Jade’s yoga mats are made out of sustainable, natural rubber, and the company plants one tree for every yoga mat sold through its partnership with Trees for the Future. Natural Fitness’ goal is to leave zero impact on the environment and provide everything you need for a green workout, including balance balls, resistance tubes, and reconstructed yoga totes and mat bags.

Lululemon Athletica is popular for its comfortable and stylish workout wear as well as its commitment to the environment. The company not only makes sure that waste is limited during the design and production stages but also builds its stores using recycled materials. Similarly, REI’s ecoSensitive label identifies products that contain a high percentage of recycled, rapidly renewable and/or organic fibers. The company also takes an active role in supporting service projects and programs aimed at protecting the outdoors.

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