While “green may be the new black”, and we’re comforted knowing “it’s easy being green,” creating an earth-conscious sustainable lifestyle is not just an ad campaign or fad, but a necessity for overall health. It can be easy to live a green and fit life! Oh it’s a tangled web we weave!… The health of our environment, whether it be the soil that grows our food or the cleaning products we use at home, directly effects our personal wellness. We can’t simple take care of ourselves, we’ve got to take care of the web that sustains us.
With that being said, we can definitely hit two birds with one stone. Choosing to live sustainably offers you the ability to get and stay fit while being green. Here are 7 simple ways to burn calories, and save the planet in one fell swoop.
1. Spring Clean Tis’ the season to clean out those packed closets, drawers, and cupboards. I know when I overhauled my place, I was sweating up a storm from all that lifting, organizing and scrubbing. Vacuuming and dish washing could seriously replace a workout! With all that cleaning we sure don’t want to choke on toxic chemicals so here’s a run down on the best eco friendly cleaning products from Grist.org.
2. Compost And Recycle: Taking the recycling out and tossing food scraps into a compost pile isn’t always so convenient. By the time you are done sorting and hauling the recyclables down several flights of stairs or across town for some people, you’ve definitely burned some calories! Compost stiring is also a great upper body workout.
3. Bike Or Walk To The Farmers Market: Farmers markets are definitely the best place to find locally grown organic fruits, veggies, and even beauty products. While you probably already hit up the stands every week, why not get a workout in on the way to and from? Leaving your car behind obviously prevents CO2 emissions and saves you money on gas.
4. Tend Your Garden: Between pulling weeds, digging, hauling soil, and dealing with that unruly hose, gardening can be quite a sport. There’s nothing like taking a bite out of a home grown cucumber or tomato. Best of all, no pesticides, trucks, or planes involved. Just a few steps to the kitchen!
5. Jog The Stairs: Elevators spend a lot of time and energy traveling (at least in my building!), so save energy and sculpt gorgeous legs by taking the stairs. Jog or skip steps for more intensity. Or my favorite, make it a race to the top.
6. Limit Couch Surfing: There’s no doubt the tube can suck you in with Fresh Prince reruns, but how many wasted hours do you spend watching when you could be hitting the carpet for some crunches and pushups? Dig out those free weights or fitness ball and save energy during that normally useless hour.
7. Finish Home Projects: Chances are you have a list of things to fix, improve or upgrade at home, but have you explored all of your options? If you’re dying to paint the kitchen, look into low VOC water-based paints. Wanting to replace flooring? Research the highly sustainable and gorgeous bamboo flooring options. Do it yourself and save money while getting your sweat on!
