There are so many ways that sustainability benefits society, and one that I often think is over looked is the fitness component of sustainability. So many of the small changes sustainability looks for as its’ foundation require just a few small steps out of your way to complete them, and while these steps do add up over time, that’s not what I’m here to talk about. Things like riding your bike as opposed to taking a car, volunteering at community events, and gardening can provide a nice level of fitness while accomplishing other daily tasks.

The most obvious here is riding your bike instead of taking a car. This is something I wish I was able to do right now and I’ll be getting a bike as soon as I am able…. I used to ride my bike to soccer practice and swim meets and to volunteering functions all the time, but I’ve since outgrown the bike (my knees won’t stop hitting those handle bars), and I miss being able to just hop on my bike and go where I needed to, no gas required. It also has a great impact on the environment, and if you can ride your bike for your errands, definitely do! Bikes can definitely be a bit expensive, but there are ways to get bikes for a good deal at places like goodwill, craigslist, and bike exchanges.

The next way that sustainability can positively affect your fitness is participation in community volunteering events. I have participated in a lot of community cleanups, gardening events, and even water sampling. At the very least, these activities probably require a fair bit of walking, but many require a lot of movement. The best part about these volunteering events is that you don’t even notice what all you’re doing. I recently did a community cleanup and it wasn’t until after the event was over that I realized that my arms were tired from lifting stuff. Basically community volunteering is a great way to make a positive impact, have fun, and get a small workout!

The last thing I mentioned was gardening. I love gardening, and in general I love plants, I guess that makes sense given that I am an Environmental Engineering major at school. But gardening has so many positive impacts. You have fresh produce that just tastes so much better than store bought, you lower your indirect emissions because that produce doesn’t have to travel anywhere to get to you, you decrease food waste, eat healthier, and so many other amazing benefits. Don’t worry, I get it, if you live in a city, gardening is hard. But there are still ways to make it work, I used large pots to house plants. Gardening does require some time and effort, and if you’ve ever had to car a watering bucket anywhere when it’s full, you know that gardening isn’t always easy, but it is so beyond worth it.

If none of this is possible for you, you can also make your workouts more sustainable as they are. Running is nice because *normally* you can just step out your front door and go for a run. If you like working out at a gym instead, you can find a gym that is close enough to walk to, or you can use public transit to get to the gym. Lastly, a huge change you can make is using a reusable water bottle. Not only is it cheaper for you, it keeps so much plastic out of a landfill.

Before you leave, just know that any small change you make adds up, and with the help of your small changes and my small changes, and other people’s small changes, we can really affect the future of our planet in a more positive manner. There is no Planet B, so let’s take care of this amazing place we call home.