With the rise in awareness around environmental issues today, many of us are making green lifestyle changes. Some of us now opt for organic food choices, have switched out single-use plastic shopping bags for reusable totes, or even drive an electric vehicle to reduce our carbon footprint. The thought of eco-friendly exercise isn't one that comes up often, but is worth exploring.

Making even small adjustments to our daily lives can have a big difference, and you can apply your eco-friendly ambitions to your fitness regime, too.

Choose an eco-friendly exercise

Large gyms can have a negative impact on the environment, due to their high energy consumption and the fact that people have to drive to get to them. Many of these gyms are open 24/7, which means all of their electronic machines, lights and music are, too.

Ditching the gym will not only save you money in membership fees, but could also help save the environment. Eco-friendly exercises like hiking or running don’t require any energy usage except your own body’s.

Choosing to go for a hike or a run also exposes you to nature, which has multiple benefits. Numerous studies show that spending time outside has a positive effect on our mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and enhancing our brain activity. Getting out amongst natural beauty encourages you to continue on your eco-friendly journey, by showing you what you’re working so hard to protect.

You can even try out Sweden’s hottest eco-friendly exercise: plogging! This is where you pick up trash whilst jogging or hiking, improving both yourself and your environment.

Improvise with equipment

There are plenty of things around the house that can help you make more eco-friendly choices surrounding exercise. Try using a sturdy chair or coffee table for tricep dips, or using a wall for standing push-ups!

Make your own free-weights by filling reusable bottles with water or sand. If you need something heavier, fill a tote bag with bags of flour or tins.

Make sustainable choices

Eco-friendly activewear brands have grown in popularity in recent years. It’s now easier than ever to minimize your environmental footprint by making conscious clothing choices. Fast fashion is notoriously bad for the environment, leading to around 37 million tonnes of fiber waste each year.

Activewear goes through a workout every time you do, stretching and becoming misshapen over time. Cheap options often won’t last very long, which means the synthetic fibers that they’re typically made from will end up in landfill. Opting for an eco-friendly exercise brand is both cost-effective and sustainable.

Carry your eco-friendly exercise efforts through every step of your workout by choosing reusable sports bottles as opposed to disposable plastic ones. Personal trainers and gyms can make an eco-friendly impact by offering these to their clients. Refilling water bottles saves tonnes of single-use plastic from landfill.