By GLOBUS Correspondent Callum Morar

The fitness industry in 2022 was worth $96.7 billion and its value is only going to rise even further. Gyms and a fitness lifestyle are scary to some, due to the high maintenance and cost, but others who are intimidating gym regulars are not phased. Socially and financially, there are already concerns with fitness; however, is this the case environmentally as well? When walking into a gym you may be convinced so, hearing the loud music and being nearly blinded by LEDs. However, don’t let this fool you as changes are being made at a faster rate than ever. So, what needs to be considered before embarking on a fitness lifestyle?

When one embarks on a fitness journey, they look for the right attire to exercise in. This normally means hesitantly typing ‘Nike’ or ‘Adidas’ into the search bar, praying the price you see for some ‘Dri-fit’ t-shirts is what you want to see even though it never is. Activewear nowadays is more of a luxury than an everyday item due to the sheer price of it. Ironically, more and more is bought the further someone delves into their fitness journey. Workout clothes are “washed more often, normally after every use,” and due to the frequent washing more are bought. The negative side of this is activewear is a severe detriment to the environment as it is made from synthetic materials such as “polyester, acrylic, nylon and spandex which are produced using fossil fuels.” Not only are greenhouse gases released during production, the disposal of activewear is less efficient due to the disposal rate being higher as a side effect of increased wear and tear. “34% of microfibers from laundering” workout clothes end up in the ocean.”

The solution to this problem, or one possible route is to source activewear that is ‘sustainably made’ or made using recycled materials. This may sound simple and obvious, however, the availability of sustainable activewear to the general public is minimal, with not many brand partaking in sustainable clothing production and it being “two to four times as more expensive” as regular clothing. Unless there is major wage inflation the public will not be inclined to buy. Also, the range of clothing there is to choose from is extremely small, normally each brand offering less than five options. The consensus is unless the consumer is willing to pay the extra amount, non-sustainable activewear will always receive more attention. The more realistic solution is to source activewear second-hand from websites such as ‘Vinted’ or ‘Depop.’ To prevent improper disposal, donate old activewear to charities or send them off to be recycled. Better yet, re-sell them yourself.

Now for actual workout equipment you will be using. Joining a commercial gym usually is the first call of action. Commercial gyms such as ‘Puregym’ or ‘Anytime Fitness’ are ones that you can see on most high streets in the UK. Immediately joining a gym is a sustainable practice. Similar to taking a bus or train you are paying to use equipment that is already in place that you share with other members of the public. However, the intricacies are deeper than this. Gyms are known for having bright lights on 24/7 in some cases, loud music and air conditioning blasting constantly. Equipment such as treadmills and cardio machines are powered on regardless of whether they are being used or not. Gyms also experience excess water loss and waste due to improper facilities and a lack of information presented to their customers. For example, at popular USA gym chain ‘Planet Fitness’ members were experiencing “excess water left on countertops and floors from previous users.” This was due to a poor design – the sink being several feet away from the hand dryer. This was amended soon after in 2017 replacing the old sink system with a new “sink basin, faucet, soap dispenser and hand dryer that work together all within arm’s reach in one comprehensive design.” The new system simultaneously puts less pressure on the gym staff and saves water.

Gyms have the power to influence their clientele to become more sustainable merely by adjusting their ways. A survey in Washington, USA taken in 2016 found that “half of consumers would be more inclined to live a more sustainable life if their gym supported green initiatives.” Additionally “64.2% of consumers prefer to work out at a gym if it uses environmentally-friendly equipment.” This is proof a gym being more sustainable will make more people follow a fitness lifestyle.     

Many gyms in the UK have adopted a sustainable approach as of recent. ‘The Gym Group’ became the first carbon neutral gym in the UK in 2019, purchasing 100% of their power from renewable sources: 47.8% bio energy 32.7% wind, 11.7% photovoltaic, and 7.8% hydropower. All bathroom taps and shower have automatic timers to shut off when not in use. Another gym is ‘Golds gym’ In Berlin which was named ‘gym of the future’ due to its carbon neutral design with sustainable construction materials, live indoor plants and trees. This gym attempted to replicate a yoga studio design which is more aerated and constructed of non-toxic materials such as cork, bamboo, wood and rubber. Other gyms can follow in the footsteps of these gyms, reducing energy usage and encouraging usage of sustainable materials. The placing of recycling bins, soap dispensers and water fountains may sound basic but go a long way in reducing waste and unnecessary water loss. The importation of low energy cardio machines is a viable option to reduce energy demand, as well as prioritisation of local manufacturers to reduce transportation related emissions. As a bi-product local businesses are receiving more investment.  

In terms of the actual work out a strength-based routine is the most beneficial. By sharing the weights in the gym with hundreds of others, as mentioned earlier, you reduce your carbon footprint significantly. Instead of using a treadmill, run outdoors or try bike outdoors. The combination of cardio and fresh air is a no brainer.

The hardest aspect of a healthy fitness lifestyle is fixing your diet. Majority of people do not make the progress they seek due to their diet being poor. It is common knowledge for a fitness lifestyle a higher protein diet is ideal. Normally this would come from animal products such as chicken, beef, fish, eggs etc. These may be efficient but environmentally, the opposite is true. It was discovered, in Arizona State University, that foods like peanuts and protein powders were most efficient at delivering protein with a small environmental cost, while cheeses, grains and beef were least efficient. The major contributors to these products being the most costly to the environment is the usage of fertilisers and emissions from manufacturing. Fish was also ranked highly efficient only when it is wild-caught and not farmed. Recommendations would be to prioritise the former foods to source protein, while aiming to reduce intake of the latter.

To answer the question; Yes… it is possible to have a sustainable fitness lifestyle if you chose to follow that path. It is possible to live an eco-friendly fitness lifestyle however, as explored it is at a higher cost and is more difficult to do. In terms of gyms, progress has been made adjusting to sustainability however much progress is to be made promoting this decision. If the right choices are made there is no reason why having a sustainable fitness lifestyle is not an option.

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