Help the Planet and Your Body with Exercise

You may not think there is an intimate connection between your physical health through exercise with the health of the environment. Well, think again. Aside from the fact that whatever you do in your daily life affects the environment simply because you live in it, you use its resources, and you throw your waste into it, you can also make it better by making your exercise tie up with taking care of the environment.

There are many ways with which you may get your daily exercise and feed your passion for the environment. Often, it's just a matter of getting on your feet, looking around you, and finding the things that need to be done for the environment while using moderate to intense physical activity.

Environmental Clean Ups

You can volunteer for environmental clean-ups in your local parks, beaches, reserves and even your neighborhood streets. You will get your exercise by walking to your clean-up areas, which may often stretch for miles at time, as well as climbing the hills, swimming to the floating debris and hauling recyclable materials to the bin. Just imagine the number of calories you will burn and the number of landfills you can save when you engage in these activities!

Use Your Feet

You can walk, jog, and cycle to your destinations, as much as possible. You will be reducing carbon emissions and lessening the fat around your tummy at the same time when you leave your car at home. It is estimated that for each gallon of gas saved, you reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by as much as 17 pounds. As for walking, you might burn as much as 170 calories per mile on a sedate 2 miles per hour pace, more if you walk faster. Or if your office is far from your abode, you can always carpool with your neighbors and friends to the downtown area. You ought to walk, jog or bicycle to the neighbor's house assigned to drive for the day. You will even be lessening the traffic on the road.

Garden to Your Organic Heart's Content

Sprouting Seed Super SamplerHow about growing your own Organic Garden? You will get your exercise from weeding, hauling, planting and harvesting. In turn, you will help save the environment one plot at time because you lessen your family's dependence on wasteful agricultural practices. Perhaps, with more backyard organic gardens, commercial agriculture can take on a turn for the better.

An added benefit of harvesting from your organic garden is that your family can enjoy commercial pesticide-free and fertilizer-free fruits and vegetables. Imagine how fresh, how nutritious and how healthy your foods are on the table, not to mention the pride you will get from making your own food. And with healthier foods consumed and with good exercise, you will also become healthier. With hospitals contributing to environmental problems with the waste they generate on a daily basis, you can avoid compounding the problem simply because you can stay away from them for a long time!

Indeed, getting your exercise while saving the environment need not be the work of superheroes. You can be an environmental hero in your own way, too.