In honor of April being Earth Month and April 22nd being Earth Day, we want to share some eco-friendly fitness hacks. The first Earth Day occurred on April 22nd, 1970, and it is, of course, more important than ever to live life in the eco-friendliest way possible, including when it comes to your fitness training.
You have probably heard the term “fast fashion” before, and you may know it refers to inexpensive clothing often made with low-quality materials. The problem with fast fashion is that it is trendy and wears out relatively quickly. Unfortunately, this means it finds its way to a landfill quickly, especially since it has little reusable value being donated.
Although you will feel the initial pinch to your bank account, it is much better to opt for more expensive, higher-quality fitness apparel brands known for selling durable apparel. Higher-quality apparel from higher-end brands also has a lot of reusable value. In addition, while it may be fun to keep up with the most current trends, opting for a decent amount of classic fashions means that you will still want to wear them a year from now, while a trend will go out of style in a few months. Also, buying from brands that actively make their products more sustainable is a definite bonus.
With increasing environmental concerns, resources have grown to facilitate reusing or recycling athletic apparel and gear. Searching locally for these resources is usually a great start. Even if you do not think an item has good reusable value, you can find a resource that will recycle it. For example, Nike has a program that allows you to drop off your used shoes (any brand!) at select Nike stores to either be donated or recycled into something else that is useful.
This not only goes for exercise apparel but also exercise equipment. So much exercise equipment is sold every year, and on the flip side, so many people are also looking to get rid of their used exercise equipment. People want to get rid of their used exercise equipment for many reasons, and often, there may be nothing wrong with the equipment. There are numerous ways to search for used exercise equipment, such as Facebook Marketplace. Buying secondhand exercise equipment will not only divert these items from going to the landfill, but you will also save a good chunk of change!
Invest in a decent set of reusable food containers of all sizes. Meal prepping and packing your meals and snacks in these reusable containers are the more sustainable way to go but are also likely much healthier than grabbing snacks and lunches when out and about.
By now, most of us have been trained to bring our reusable shopping bags when we shop for groceries. However, taking this a step further and always bringing reusable shopping bags for any shopping, including when purchasing athletic apparel, supplements, and anything else, will make a massive difference in the environment.
Instead of contributing to greenhouse gas emissions by driving to the gym or driving to the mountains to hike, what does your own backyard have to offer? Are there walking and jogging trails nearby that you did not know about? Are there nearby areas with features like steps, large rocks, benches, pull-up bars, etc., where you could get a good workout?
What is plogging, you ask (or maybe not)? It is basically a combination of jogging and picking up litter. Plogging began as an organized activity in Sweden in 2016 and has since spread to other countries. Plogging can be an individual activity, or you can make a party out of it in celebration of Earth Month. We recommend sorting the trash you pick up into non-recyclable, recyclable, and compostable along the way or when you are finished. Around 80 percent of the garbage in the ocean comes from land, so beyond cleaning up the land environment, you will also be helping to keep trash from entering our oceans.
TAPOUT Performance Hydration and Recovery Drinks have been designed to activate your body's natural energy reserves, improve performance during competition and training and promote quick and healthy recovery after exercise.
TAPOUT comes in four flavors:
- Citrus
- Cherry Lemonade
- Orange
- Peach Mango
Our Citrus flavor has 120 calories to replenish natural energy and give you a boost under difficult training conditions. It also has 240mg of natural sodium, and a blend of electrolytes and vitamins. As you work out, these vitamins and electrolytes are used by your body or lost in sweat. That's why each TAPOUT contains:
- Vitamins A, C, E
- The Vitamin B Complex
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Chloride
If you're looking for a sports performance drink that replenishes these electrolytes and vitamins but prefer a no-sugar drink, TAPOUT Orange and Cherry Lemonade contain the same scientifically derived formula with zero sugar and only five calories.
No matter which flavor you choose, you can be assured that you're getting great taste from a sports drink made with no artificial colors, flavors or ingredients.