With even my grandma understanding the green movement this days, it’s easier than ever to pick up eco-friendly workout gear. If Paris Hilton can make changes to live a little greener (check out the lovely Jennifer’s post about Miss Hilton’s green choices on AwakenedAesthetic) while still being sassy, it’s nice to see I can do my part while sweating it out.
I am slowly learning to be more green, so I stumbled around some websites that were really helpful in guiding me through choosing Earth friendly apparel. Green Living Ideas was my favorite source, they pointed me to companies like Patagonia, Gaiam and GoLite as well as GreatGreenShoes, a one stop resource for shoes made of recycled rubber and vegan materials for men and women.
Made from 98% organic cotton, these Escala Pants from Patagonia would be a lovely surprise under my Christmas tree this year *hint hint*.
GoLite perhaps is the most impressive of the group in my book; just reading their Meaning of Lite section made me want to say, “Oh HECK yes!” They seem so on the ball in their goals to create the most eco-conscious products possible (even turning coconut shells into workout gear, what?) and continue making strides to reduce 100% of their environmental footprint. To continue the buzz, meander over to their Sustainability section and get all swoony over their pillow talk on their climate impact. On top of all that, I am coveting their Ginger Hoody and DriMove BL-2 Longsleeve Zip *drool*.
Many of the products I came across while surfing the web seem a bit pricy, but I wouldn’t let that deter me. The main things to look for when choosing gear that makes Mother Earth happy are products made from organic or recycled materials, contain a minimal amount of synthetic fibers (like lycra) and are created by companies with sustainable business models and fair labor practices, according to Green Living Ideas. An interesting fact I picked up while checking out a pesticide-free organic cotton shirt was that regular cotton uses 1/3 of a pound of chemicals to make ONE t-shirt. Yikes!
94% Organic Cotton Cross Back Yoga Tank at Gaiam, you should really be in my closet by now.
Some businesses, like Patagonia and Nike, have gotten on the recycling bandwagon with stellar results. Patagonia utilizes a fiber-to-fiber recycling system to take full responsibility of every product they make and Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe recycling program takes your old, worn out sneakers and turns them into basketball courts, running tracks and playgrounds. Now that’s getting miles out of your tennies!
And what about those Sigg water bottles I’m seeing everywhere now? I’ve toted a Nalgene for years and my newest one came with a nice little sticker proclaiming it BPA free, which seems to be the main draw for the Sigg variety. For the price, I am sticking with my Nalgene at this point and taking my chances, but I am harboring some major Sigg envy. Either way, reusable water bottles save room in our landfills and cut down on the use of non-renewable resources like petroleum.
While I oggle my wishlist, what steps have you taken to become more green in your day to day operations? One small change can have huge impacts on this planet we call home, are you passionate about anything in particular? As always, I am all ears to any products you would like to suggest!
