Sustainability is a topic that touches on every sphere of life, in every industry, and increasingly, every action. As we see this pandemic continuing, environmental issues that our planet and society are facing have been magnified. Now more than ever, we are coming to terms with the consequences that our actions have on the future of the planet, and the choices that we make in all aspects of our lives are becoming more and more critical by the day.
The world of health & fitness is no exception. Over the past few years, a whole host of brands and companies in the industry - big and small - have been working to make the fitness space more sustainable and ethical. Not just for the benefit of the planet, but for us as individuals.
So, with that in mind, we’ve put together a list of five easy steps you can follow if you want to know how you can train more sustainably, and look after the Earth.
1. Sustainable Activewear
Activewear is one of our favourite types of clothing, even more so since lockdown. The choices we make when buying our gym gear are pivotal, instead of fast fashion brands or global high street labels, opt instead for local or independent, ethically made, sustainable brands that contribute significantly less waste. Think leggings made from recycled plastic bottles and total supply chain transparency. What’s not to like? Some of our favourites right now are GirlfriendCollective, TALA, Perff Studio, and Pangaia.
2. Recycle Old Gear
If you’re a bit of an activewear hoarder it might be time for a clear out. But did you know that 350,000 tonnes of used but still wearable clothing goes to landfill in the UK every year? That’s around £140 million worth of clothing wasted. Instead, recycle or donate your old gear. Initiatives like Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe programme take your used shoes, recycles them, and gives them a new life. While Adidas' trade-in option lets you send them any old gear(used or unused), and they’ll then reward you with points to put towards a new purchase. It’s a no-brainer.
3. Eat More Plant-based
Incorporating more plant-based foods and meals into your diet has become one of the biggest health trends of the past few years. In fact, interest in 'veganism' and eating plant-based increased seven-fold in the five years between 2014 and 2019, according to Google Trends. Eating more plant-based meals is not only beneficial to your body (just think about all that natural goodness), it’s also more sustainable for the planet and the beings that inhabit it. To get started, why not try Meat-Free Mondays once a week? There are many misconceptions about eating plant-based, and getting enough protein doesn’t always mean shoving in the steaks.
And don't forget that many of our Innermost supplements use purely vegan ingredients.
If you’ve never tried a plant-based meal, we can only strongly recommend you check out Sakti Elixir in Fivelements Habitat in Times Square, where they are doing some very innovative, but always tasty things with fresh, locally sourced farm-to table produce.
4. Cutting Carbon Footprint
Road transportation makes up a huge part of total GHG emissions, so if you’ve been driving to the gym, think about taking public transport. Luckily in Hong Kong, there are plenty of ways we can cut our carbon footprint in relation to our training. Take public transport, cycle, walk, or even run to the gym. You can motivate yourself by downloading apps like Strava or Nike Run Club to track your movements and compete with friends.
One of our favourite ways to do this is also to reduce the amount of plastic we waste, in particular plastic bottles. When you come to the gym, try to bring along your own water bottle to refill at our water dispensers. You can also check out our very cool MOBOT, a water bottle that is also a portable foam roller to massage and relieve sore muscles after a workout.
5. Spread the Word
Last but not least, one of the best things you can do for the sustainability movement is spread the word. Talk to friends and family about your sustainable finds, follow new brands on social media, and share their content wherever you can. Be enthusiastic about what you’re doing, and know that you can still get results while living in harmony with our home, and only planet.
