Exercising outdoors
Last updated Wednesday 2 July 2008
Energy saving for the energetic
Heating, commuting and food emissions have a new rival - research suggests we Brits clock up the bulk of our greenhouse gas emissions in our leisure time. And gyms, crammed with high-wattage treadmills, bright lights and air conditioning, are one of the offenders. A single treadmill, used for half an hour five times a week, will emit about 100kg of CO2 a year.
So, if you're into running, could it be time to brave the great outdoors?
Read more below
Saves up to 110 kg of CO2 a year
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How will it make a difference?
Pub Fact
- A treadmill uses as much power as a kettle
- Only 30% of men and 20% of women are as fit as they should be for their age according to the British Medical Association
- In a year, you will emit almost 300kg of CO2 to the atmosphere just through exhaling
- The Naked Scientist calculates that Brits exercising in gyms generate 6 gW of energy - enough to power a large coal-powered station
- During a 30-minute bout of exercise, you could be expelling an extra 8g of CO2
Running outdoors instead of on a treadmill can save as much CO2 as using real nappies instead of disposables.
Exercising outside - or joining a 'green gym' - cuts carbon and calories. Oxford Brookes University estimates that chopping down trees is as calorie-intensive as doing step aerobics.
Gyms of the future - and a handful that already exist - could actually be extremely climate-friendly. These gyms could 'scavenge your energy' - allowing your movements to power your treadmill's display, and more - if you have the energy. According to the whacky boffins over at the Naked Scientist, a single Brit exercising hard on a gym bike can generate about 280 Watts, or enough to run two computers and their monitors.
How do I do it?
If you crave the company or camaraderie of your local gym, there are running clubs out there and other runners looking for people to train with:
And if running isn't your thing, you could burn calories while exercising your conservation skills planting trees, clearing paths or coppicing - all for free. Read more about 'green gyms' in the Guardian:
- British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
- National Trust
- RSPB
- Natural England and British Heart Association's Walking The Way to Health initiative
- British Military Fitness
You could also consider cycling or walking instead of commuting by car.
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I just love excercising outside. Running on a treadmill is just so boring, and bad for your knees. If you're lucky enough to live close to some woodland or fields, it totally revolutionises the sport, adding a little adventure into a pretty mundane sport.
But why should outdoor sport be limited to running? Al fresco gym classes, that's a thought...! And wild swimming. I just went for a swim in the Serpentine, in Londons' Hyde Park. So much more fun than bleaching yourself in chlorine whilst swimming back and forth in an excessively heated indoor pool. Try it!
Myself and my colleagues have started a running club at work. Every week we do a 4 mile circuit around Wormwood scrubs and Regents canal. It's a great way of keeping fit and keeping motivated in the afternoons at work.
This is brilliant, excersizing more. It keeps you fit and things like that, it helps you with your health too.
I've started karate and it's brilliant!
© MMIX
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