Can you be a greener athlete?

As athletes, we can do our part to lessen our impacts on the Earth.

We love nature. The symbiosis. The sounds. The unknown.

It’s a different world than the one we live in.

We live in a box most days; with walls, manmade objects, easy appliances, a clean space. Packing up to go into the backcountry, we need so much less than we think and we can survive. (How can we apply this to our everyday lives? Reduce? Reuse? Repurpose?)

The fresh air, the untouched (we hope), the interactions of creatures, the quiet moments, the awed moments. Besides physical activity benefits, there are many mental benefits from removing oneself from the constraints, rules, situations in which we place ourselves in on a daily basis.

Go with yourself, your friends, your family; even if it’s an urban adventure or within your own home.

As we venture into nature, whether wild or urbanized, its best to bring along the Leave No Trace principles. There are 7 basic Leave No Trace principles, but once reviewed, you can readily realize that there are many more and can be applied across many aspects of your day and adventures. Especially, the social media impact aspect of visiting and posting locations of special places…..

1. Plan and Prepare Appropriately for where you are going – do your research

2. Dispose of Waste Properly – if you can, Pack Out what you Pack In – even if you think that it is biodegradable

3. Travel along durable surfaces – those flower may be endangered, don’t tread on them

4. Leave what you find

5. Minimize your impact – this is usually focused on campfires, but really, it can be applied to everything

6. Be Considerate of Others

7. Respect Wildlife

Working within a gym, how can you apply these same principles? Or going to an urban park? Another private space?

Let’s work together.