Get active and stay eco-friendly

There are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy – even in these colder months! And as more people than ever put their active health at the top of their priorities we wanted to talk about the wider impacts this can have on our environments – positive, and not-so-positive. Let’s take a look at some outdoor activities and how you might incorporate them into your lifestyle.

Outdoor activities everyone can enjoy 

If you’re trying to get your steps up to 10,000 per day – which seems to be the magic number. You’ll definitely want to consider litter picking on your daily walk. It doesn’t have to be extreme whereby you pick up every small piece of litter as you go, just take a small reusable bag with you and pick up the more obvious pieces that you know you can easily dispose of on your way home. Litter picking sounds like more effort than going for a walk, but we find that it’s a great way to make it more interesting and gives you double the ‘feel good’ emotions. Do something good for you and the planet at the same time, pop on a podcast and away you go!

Plogging is also one of our favourite outdoor activities. Slightly different to litter picking it involves running through the countryside and grabbing pieces of litter that you come across. Now, we know for you runners out there it might sound difficult. But on your longer runs on the weekend where you’re taking your time enjoying the outdoor space – why not stop to grab a few pieces of litter and pop them in the nearest bin. 

Travelling to outdoor activities 

If you’re not taking part in an outdoor activity during your free time, there is every likelihood you’re involved in one. Whether that’s standing on a touchline in the pouring rain watching your child play football or rugby. Perhaps you pay to watch some professionals participate in their sport. One way to make sure you’re as eco-friendly as possible is to be smart when travelling. Could you save other parents from driving and pick up a couple more kids on the team? Take it in turns so there are more efficient uses of your cars. If you’re travelling to watch a game, is public transport a viable option? Reducing your carbon footprint significantly.

Sports and their environmental impact 

There are plenty of positive ways to get involved with sports but what if you’re looking for a new hobby? How can you be sure that you’re choosing something that will benefit the environment? Well, we’re going to give you a quick look at some of the most harmful outdoor activities for the environment and explain why. It’s up to you to then make a choice as to what new hobby suits you and your interests. 

1. Skydiving 

Falling out of a plane may not be everyone’s choice hobby, but there are plenty of outdoor activities that involve planes. Usually, they come in the form of experiences that are gifted for a birthday or occasion. Just remember, planes have extremely high carbon footprints. Meaning your 30 minute ride up to 10,000 feet could cost the planet a lot more than you first realise. We recommend finding outdoor activities closer to the ground. 

2. Golf 

Did you know that golf is one of the most destructive outdoor activities to our environment? On average 100 courses are built each year, displacing 150 acres of wildlife. Not only that, but the irrigation systems to maintain courses use huge volumes of water, including chemicals and pesticides. If you are considering taking up golf, ask yourself if there are other better options that don’t affect the nearby habitat.

3. Formula 1 (or any other type of racing) 

Now, it is another niche area but there are plenty of variations before you hit the top at Formula 1. From go karting on the weekends to rally driving with friends. It’s a car, using and burning fuel at top speeds – it’s clear how this one is terrible for the environment. That’s not to say that these sports will stay that way. As electrical vehicles are the future, there is a shift on the horizon with Formula E and other electric cars joining the sporting world. So, if you enjoy racing, why not branch out and support the electrical world. 

4. Skiing and snowboarding 

Now, we know there aren’t many outdoor slopes here in the UK. But that only makes this hobby more harmful. The energy used to create indoor ski slopes is astronomical, with the fake snow, indoor temperature regulation, and the variety of lifts – we know we would not want to be left with that bill. But even if you’re not using an indoor slope, travelling to an outdoor one is costly. If you can afford the cost of a ski holiday, you need to ask yourself if the planet can. Jumping on a plan for a short haul flight isn’t so bad once a year but consider if you could ski closer to the UK and less often.