A carbon footprint is the impact a business or individual has on the environment. It relates to how much greenhouse gas is produced in order to sustain a business. Greenhouse gas emissions contribute to climate change, which is the gradual warming of the planet due to increased infrared radiation. For businesses, carbon footprints can mean the energy used to power premises, the number of flights taken each year by a CEO or VP, and even how many plastic cups the office water cooler uses. It can be the materials a product is made from or how an item is packaged, refridgerated or delivered. Gyms may have a different business model compared to other companies but the principles are often the same. Gyms can reduce their carbon footprint by implementing eco-friendly business practices that contribute to fewer greenhouse. Why Gyms Should Be Eco-Friendlier A sustainable business practice doesn’t necessarily mean making big or expensive changes. Small changes can add up quickly, and adopting sustainable practices can actually save your gym money. We often say that sustainability is often a means of becoming more efficient, and more efficient businesses waste less money and time. The PR for positive environmentalism shouldn’t be underestimated, either. Both Millennials and Gen Z have shown that they’re happy to pay more and support businesses that take an active (and genuine) role in combating the current climate emergency. There's no reason why gyms can't choose the eco-friendlier option and then turn it into a PR opportunity to attract new members. Sustainability is also the right thing to do both as a business owner and as a human being. We're all living on the same planet. The actions we take today could very well determine the type of world that our children and grandchilden inherit. It’s the right thing to do; the fact that it’s the right thing to do for your business, too, is a nice incentive and a bonus. 3-things we're expecting to see growing in 2022 1. The rise of green fitness 2. More gyms adding electricity-generating gym equipment to their inventories 3. More eco-gyms opening in the UK. 6 Ways for Gyms to Reduce Their Carbon Footprint Ban Single-Use Plastic By 2050, there’ll be more plastic in the sea than fish. One of the biggest single-use plastic culprits is bottled drinking water. We all know how important hydration is before, during and after exercise, but it shouldn’t be used as an excuse to devastate marine life and threaten the beauty of our seas and oceans. As a business owner, there are lots of things you can do to encourage clients to use re-usable bottles. You could follow the example of 1-Rebel who announced in 2018 that it would be eliminating single-use plastic from its gyms and introducing re-usable stainless-steel containers, biodegradable cups and straws as well as recyclable kitbags. According to the Metro, Rebel1 decided to introduce a ban on single-use plastic after it realised that it went through 37,000 units annually. Providing filtered water for free can help encourage people to bring in re-usable bottles. It’s also a good merchandising opportunity and a way to advertise your brand. Encourage Recycling Tagging onto this idea of reducing plastic, gym owners should make sure that clients have the option to recycle rubbish rather than have it all go to landfill. Having separate receptacles for plastic, paper and even food (if you have a café or food outlet on your premises) or clothing can encourage people to make better decisions. What happens to food is particularly important because most people don’t realise that food waste is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Go Paperless Going paperless isn’t just about being more eco-friendly; it can also save you a lot of time. It’s far easier to find documents digitally using a search function than it is by hand turning pages in folders and binders. You’ll save space in your office, too. Digital records can be accessed in seconds and they only take space on a hard drive rather than on shelves. You’ll reduce spending on ink and toner, too, as well as on buying reams of printer paper. 85% of ink cartridges and toners purchased in the UK end up going to landfill. Human Generated Energy for Your Gym It takes a lot of energy to run a gym: the equipment, the lights, the showers and changing rooms, etc. It can be difficult to imagine how to cut back on electricity and still be an efficient business, especially if you're running a 24/7 set-up. You can obviously look at changing your energy tariff and that can help you to save some additional pounds. You might also encourage staff members to turn off unused equipment during off-peak hours, keep TVs off overnight or install energy-saving equipment. And that’s all going to help. But it might not be enough to provide the kind of savings worth getting excited about. One exciting new development in the fitness world is using human power as a renewable and clean energy source. The RE:GEN studio bike is most effective in indoor cycling classes where the power generation can be maximised. The power is fed into a large centralised battery to support the energy usage of the premises. Find out more about Energym's electricity-generating indoor bikes for your gym. Switch to LED LED lights are a really easy way to reduce your energy bills. LEDs are able to do this because they use less electricity than other types of bulb. They cost more initially, but within a few months you can expect to have recouped that cost. LEDs also last much longer than other types of lighting so once they’re in you don’t need to worry about replacing them for a long time. Lighting in gyms is vital not only for client experience but for safety, too, and it’s always going to be a big expenditure – switching to LEDs will help reduce your energy bills, your carbon footprint and it’ll brighten up your gym floor. Save on Water Reducing water consumption is as much about money saving as it is saving the environment. One of the first things to do is to check your water usage as each bill comes in. Sudden spikes can indicate a leak or an issue that needs to be sorted to ensure you’re not paying more than you need to. Installing water-saving equipment will help reduce your water bills and despite the initial up-front cost could save you a lot of money in the long run. Using efficient flush toilets or waterless urinals in the toilets and changing rooms can make a big difference especially if you’re in an older property. Fitting any showers and faucets with low-flow restrictors will help, too. These are some really easy ways for a gym to reduce its carbon footprint. This list highlights, too, that what’s good for the environment can often be good for your business and for its image. All it takes is a little thought, some planning and the occasional up-front cost. Find out more about Energym's electricity generating indoor bikes can help your gym create clean power.