2020 is going to be a Leap year focused on environmental change. Organisations such as The National Trust launch their ‘Great Green Leap Year’ campaign on February 29th, where tree planting missions will be taking place.
We’ve all been made aware of the damage to our oceans and the urgent need to rethink how we use and manufacture plastics, so I’m sure most of us have been considering ways in which we can reduce waste and be more environmentally friendly.

There are many areas of our lives that will need to be addressed, and eco-friendly fitness gear is no exception. Here’s a few ideas of ways you can make better choices for both yourself and the environment…

Hydration: Use a reusable water bottle. Choose BPA & Phthalates-free stainless steel bottles with thermal technology. The double or triple wall vacuum technology keeps your water cool for up to 24hrs, reducing usage of plastic bottles and protecting you from chemicals leaching into your water.

Mats: Yoga and Pilates mats are typically made from plastic known as PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) a petroleum based synthetic rubber. During manufacture nasty Phthalates are added to make the rubber pliable, which are toxic and non biodegradable.
To make a more conscientious purchase, look for mats made from non Amazon sustainably sourced tree rubber, a non toxic manufacturing processs and fully biodegradable.
Some companies will even take your old mat, (no matter what brand or material), to make sure it gets recycled.

Clothing: Fitness clothing is often made from synthetic fibres such Polyester, with anti-bacterial manufacturing treatments added to the fabric, a process that can be harmful to our health and the environment. Polyamide is an alternate choice of fabric, that doesn’t need antibacterial agents adding but still has sweat wicking ability. For Pilates & yoga, instead of cotton, try sustainably sourced bamboo, a great natural fabric that helps regulate temperature during practice.

There are many more products, from trainers to kitbags offering eco-friendly alternatives, so we can all do our bit!

This article has been published in the February edition of Life Magazines – http://www.lifemagazines.co.uk