Sustainability:

As athletes we use the outdoors and the natural environment for self-promotion, we should be the force behind sustaining it. By in large, we are the people putting neon fabrics and bright colors, metals and fiberglass, petex and steel on tops of snow-capped mountains and in the crystal blue waters. The activities we participate in create positive energy and this is felt not only in improved health but translate to a love of the environment and what it gives to us which in turn should raise awareness of what our impact is. As long as we “use” the outdoors for health and improving our lives mentally, physically and spiritually, we need to also use that energy that is created to in turn give back to the environment.

The subject certainly makes me think about what more I can do to lessen my impact in the environment. I try each day, in many small ways, to remain focused on contributing to decreasing the human impact on mother earth. Just as our lives are committed to the outdoors, our lives should also be committed to preserving it for future generations to enjoy, in hopes they may reap the many benefits we have.

Here is how my family and I do our part:

1) I actually use cloth diapers, this I mention first because it is undoubtedly the most difficult and disgusting contribution. I wash them at home and hang them to dry. I like to think my kids enjoy the benefits as well, a soft organic material on their bodies instead of synthetic materials.

2) We recycle everything our county allow us to and I make sure my four year old takes an active role in this. We use dad’s old construction plans for painting projects and wine bottle corks for making all kinds of things. We collect anything we can make art projects with if it can’t be recycled. The post office in our town recycles all our old batteries and cell phones too.

3) I ride my kids to school in the bike trailer as often as possible to avoid using the car, it’s great exercise and they love it. A win-win for us.

4) I have switched all my cleaning fluids to green products in our home, safer for the kids and the environment.

5) We switched to an electric lawn mower, smells way better and much lighter!

6) We have reduced the catalog count in our mailbox by declining catalogs on the websites of our favorite retailers; we just look on line if we need anything.

7) We donate all our used clothes and gear to a local charity and my kids wear mostly hand-me-downs, which they love, (go figure! We’ll do this while we can).

8) We switched all our light bulbs this year to eco-friendly light bulbs.

I aspire to a hybrid vehicle on day, an organic garden at home and the list goes on… but so far we try very hard in these small ways to remain committed to the environment.