PLAYgreen

RSF Garage Gets Lighting Upgrade

Newer, brighter, more efficient lighting (left).  Older, darker, less efficient light (right)

The lighting in the RSF Parking Garage is being replaced with energy-efficient fixtures that will reduce energy consumption, save the campus money, and make the garage a brighter place.

The new fluorescent lighting being installed will use half the electricity of the existing lighting, saving the campus about $10,000 per year. The total cost of the project -- funded entirely by our friends at the campus department of Parking & Transportation -- is $72,000; and with a $24,000 rebate from PG&E, the project will pay for itself in less than five years.  A very nice return on investment.

The total savings in energy consumption is estimated at 100,000 kWh per year.  What does that mean? According to PG&E's Carbon Footprint Calculator, a typical residential customer uses about 6,480 kWh of electricity per year, so the savings are equivalent to the electricity used to heat about 15 homes for a year!

The new lamps provide brighter illumination (see photo camparison above) than the creepy orange light from the existing fixtures. The improved quality of the light contributes to safety in the garage.

Construction is scheduled to be complete by the end of November, so please drive slowly, respect temporary detour signs and traffic barricades, and keep an eye out for the workers. The safety of everyone using the garage is important.

Rec Sports would like to pass a big thank you on to the folks at UC Berkeley’s Campus Energy Efficiency Program (part of Capital Projects) and to the Department of Parking and Transportation for making this fantastic project happen.

Questions or concerns about this project should be addressed to UC Berkeley Capital Project at 510 643-4793.

Raincatch: A Jacket for Drinking Rainwater

Winter is just around the corner, and here in Berkeley, that means rain.  For intrepid walkers and runners, it's a time when you can have the trails to yourself.  For this runner, working out in the rain supplies that extra oomph.  Something about splashing along a misty trail with the rain in your face and mud splattered on your back provides just the right amount of inspiration for blasting up hills and careening around tight turns at speeds impossible on dry ground.

And now that rainy day run brings with it one more advantage: an opportunity to self-hydrate.  Two students at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design have designed Raincatch, a coat that catches, filters and stores rainwater, allowing runners and hikers to hydrate on the move. This is a healthy version of your grandfather's drink'n jacket.

Joshua Noble and Hyeona Yang, the jacket’s co-creators, believe that access to clean drinking water is “one of the most important issues for the 21^st century.”  Given only two weeks in their design class, they created a jacket that is really quite simple. It collects rainwater, which then runs down the jacket's back, passing through tubes to get purified by charcoal filters and a chemical process. They assembled the jacket using materials from clothing stores, hardware stores, and aquarium-supply stores.

Although Raincatch is still an long way from appearing at your local sports shop, we here at PLAYgreen are inspired by the effort.  And while the design is a bit unconventional, how cool would it be to run around Berkeley in something like this?  

Source and Image: Sierra Club

Green Workout Accessories

Everyone knows they need to stay hydrated while exercising. Water is essential for our bodies and should always be on hand while working out. Now that we’ve established the need for water, step away from plastic bottles! Reusable water bottles help cut down on waste. Water bottles made from aluminum can be recycled only when needed. Choose your favorite reusable water bottles from the huge collection at Sigg.

Eco-Friendly Music Gear

Many of us workout with music. Whether it’s rap, country or opera, everyone has their favorite music to get them through exercising. Try the Marware Eco-Runner Armband Case for the iPod Nano. This case is made with environmentally friendly materials like recycled plastic. If you really want to make a difference, you can try the battery-less powerplus Verio wind-up MP3 player that gets recharged by turning a hand crank.

Source: Earth 911.com
Image: Sigg 

Pool Cover at Hearst Means Big Energy Savings

Rec Sports has purchased and installed a pool cover for the Hearst pool.  At first blush this doesn’t sound like much to celebrate, but if you look a bit deeper you’ll see that this pool cover will save an estimated 12,000 therms of natural gas per year.  To put that in perspective, PG&E says that the average residential customer in the Bay Area uses about 400 therms a year. This means that the energy we save by using the pool cover is equivalent to the energy used to heat 30 homes for a year!  In terms of pollution, these savings are equivalent to avoiding 60 tons of greenhouse gases each year.

And the double bonus is that it will save Rec Sports – and the campus – some serious coin.  The total project cost was about $19,000, but PG&E offers a $1 rebate for every therm saved. This means we got a $12,000 rebate on the original cost.  What’s even better, the savings will continue year after year: based on current energy prices, this pool cover will save us about $8,900 each year. Even before the first year is over, our savings will completely pay for the pool cover!  And BTW, we already have pool covers in use at Strawberry and Golden Bear pools.  

Thank you to the folks at UC Berkeley’s Campus Energy Efficiency Program (part of Capital Projects) and everyone who helped make this project possible. To learn about other Rec Sports Green projects visit the What We’re Doing section of the Playgreen Blog.

Where To Get Green Workout Clothes and Shoes

Make your workout Gear Green! Here are six suggestions for companies that make Green fitness clothes and shoes:

• Patagonia
  
  Patagonia makes clothes for climbing, skiing, snowboarding, surfing, fly fishing, paddling and trail running. Their mission statement is to “build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” Patagonia focuses on simplicity and utility, using E-Fibers, Gladiodor Garment Odor Control, and Performance Baselayers. Find out more at Patagonia.com
  
  
• Gaiam
  
  Meaning “Gaia” (mother Earth) and “I am”, Gaiam focuses on the consumer by providing all information to them. Gaiam prides itself in “working to become the source for individuals and businesses interested in natural health, ecological lifestyles, personal growth and sustainable commerce.” To check out their highest quality branded product and services available, visit Gaiam.com
  
  
• GoLite
  
  GoLite believes less is more. They develop “simple, beautiful, high performance gear that’s light on the planet.” GoLite only uses the bare minimum that is needed helping their customers focus on their experience rather than their gear. By using less, their products have a smaller impact on the environment. GoLite focuses on ways to minimize their environmental footprint without compromising performance. To see what GoLite has to offer, visit GoLite.com
  
  
• New Balance
  
  New Balance is the only athletic shoe manufacturer that still makes shoes in the US. New Balance is proud to say that “Twenty-five percent of New Balance shoes sold in North America are produced by our US workforce, using US and imported materials.” New Balance clearly marks their shoes where the domestic value is at least 70% and labels the shoe “Made in the USA.” To shop for New Balance shoes, go to New Balance.com
  
  
• Planet Shoes
  
  Planet Shoes is known for having hard to find shoe brands, vegan shoes, and eco-friendly shoes. They offer a 100% price guarantee where they will match another websites promotion. They also have a 100% stock guarantee, and if they don’t have the shoe you want they will send you a 20% off coupon for as many shoes as you wish to buy. If what you ordered doesn’t fit properly, Planet Shoes offers free returns and exchanges with a prepaid UPS label. Find out more at Planet Shoes.com
  
  
• Brooks Running
  
  Brooks® Sports, Inc. designs and markets high-performance men's and women's running shoes, apparel and accessories. They are proud of their “hard-earned reputation for engineering footwear that provides the perfect ride for every stride, and the perfect fit for every foot type.” To find out more about their many breakthrough advancements like Brooks DNA, BioMoGo (the world’s first biodegradable running shoe midsole) and their award winning apparel line, visit Brooks Running.com

Source: TreeHugger.com

Image: PlanetGreen.com

Gaiam prides itself in “working to become the source for individuals and businesses interested in natural health, ecological lifestyles, personal growth and sustainable commerce.”

Electricity Generating Gyms

Adam Boesel, the founder of The Green Microgym in Portland, Oregon has found a way to create electricity through exercise. In 2010 the Green Microgym generated 36% of their own electricity, and saved 37,000 kilowatt hours. This equals to 81,400 miles not being driven, and 15 acres of trees being planted. Boesel says, “our machines create electricity and then ‘plugout’ back into the building to help power the appliances and electrical systems in the building.”

In addition to providing an effective workout space, The Green Microgym has lower electricity costs, water bills, carbon emissions and an overall cleaner conscience than most gyms in the world. The Green Microgym achieves their goal of sustainability and reduces their emissions by implementing the following:

• ellipticals and stationary bikes that produce energy
• treadmills that use 30% less electricity than regular models
• equipment that has previously been used
• lights, televisions, and fans that are only turned on when necessary
• encouragement of refillable steel water bottles by not selling bottled water
• all natural cleaning products, and all recycled paper products
• eco-friendly building construction materials 
• solar panels, energy efficient ceiling fans and compact fluorescent lighting

To learn more vist The Green Microgym website.

Source and Image: The Green Microgym

How To Turn Your Workout Green

 

Interested in having a more environmentally friendly work out plan?  Here are 5 easy steps to Greener Fitness!

1 - Stay at home green. There’s no need to give your car a workout, just to get your own. Try routines at home like weight training, yoga, or Pilates. You can easily put together a consistent cardio and strength training combination that requires nothing more than some space and a mat. Here are ten ways you can exercise at home without any equipment!

2 - Go outside where it’s green. What better way to get some fresh air and sunshine, than to burn calories while doing it? Anything from biking to a quick walk on your lunch break can benefit your body’s energy level without wasting energy from our environment. Check out these great outdoor exercise ideas!

3 - Get energized green. Spring for the organic energy bar that doesn’t include anything artificial. Remember to fuel yourself with a snack that’s high in carbs and low in fat before you work out, and a snack that has a combination of carbs and protein when you’re finished. Don’t forget your green water bottle. Don’t have one yet? Read what Time magazine considers to be the top-5 eco-friendly water bottles.

4 -  Gear up green. Before you shop for new workout items, look for deals on used bikes, weights, and other equipment. You can look online, at local thrift stores or in your best friend’s closet. If you’re going to buy a yoga mat, make sure you buy one that’s eco-friendly. Here are a few suggestions for different places to buy eco-friendly yoga mats.

5 - Dress Green. There are ways to turn your workout gear green besides using colored dye. Sneakers can be made with recycled rubber soles, tops and pants can come from soy and organic cotton blends, and coconut shells can transform into breathable fabrics. Learn more about Eco-friendly work out gear.


Source and Image:  TreeHugger

A New Trend: Paddle Board Yoga

Many yoga enthusiasts are already familiar with Bikram Yoga, Hot Yoga, and Restorative Yoga. There is a new style of yoga – Paddle Board Yoga. This new yoga practice is carried out on paddle boards in the water and is especially popular in Miami, Florida. Paddle board yoga is supposed to be a combination of surfing and yoga. It is also known for giving the body a "core" workout because of the added challenge of having to maintain one's balance while performing yoga poses. Check it out today!

Source: The Huffington Post

A Vegan Cyclist in the Tour de France

As the Wall Streen Journal puts it, American cyclist David Zabriskie will be “riding the Tour De Vegetable”. The challenge of competing in a race that can burn 8,000 calories a day without eating meat, eggs and dairy makes this a historic undertaking.

Zabriskie will not be fully vegan, he does eat small amounts of salmon two days each week to help with iron absorption. But the rest of his diet consists of things like oatmeal with flax seeds and coconut butter for breakfast, vegan Clif bars as snacks while riding and a mix of grains, vegetables, protein shakes and fruit for the rest of the day.

Many people have been skeptical of how well a vegan can perform under such grueling physical conditions, despite the success of vegan ulramarathoner Scott Jurek. But after nine months on his vegan diet Zabriskie says he was feeling better: more focused, he said his vision had improved and various small ailments disappeared.

"This is definitely the ultimate test of the vegan diet," Zabriskie’s team director told the Journal. "If it works here, no one can ever say you can't do X,Y,Z as a vegan."

Story: Treehugger.com

Image: DaveZabriskie.com

Green Ice Cream!?!

Ice Cream, the summer's ultimate guily pleasure. Thankfully with a little effort, eatting ice cream doesn’t have to be a guilty indulgence. Recently the supermarket and health stores have started stocking plenty of alternative ice cream products. Courtesy of Treehugger.com, here is a list of some guilt free ice cream brands:

• Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss: Luna and Larry Kaplowitz founded their company to satisfy their own craving for creamy non-dairy ice cream. The end result is a certified organic ice cream with entirely Fair Trade ingredients that just so happens to be gluten free. And for those of you out there who aren’t coconut fans, never fear they also offer chocolate hazelnut, ginger cookie caramel, chocolate walnut brownie, mint and more.
• Julie’s Organic Ice Cream: Get your sweet tooth fix with a tasty classic ice cream sandwich.  The sandwiches are made from 2 organic chocolate cookies and organic ice cream. Julie’s also offers smaller 100 calorie sandwiches and a gluten-free option.
• Alden’s Organic Ice Cream: This ice cream is the modern, eco-friendly equivalent to the half-gallons your family probably stocked for desert. With classic flavors like strawberry, vanilla bean, mint chip and cookies and cream you can easily satisfy your comfort food craving while being kind to the enviornment.
• Stonyfield Organic Frozen Desserts: This company offers a variety of flavors that are perfect for your sustainable sweet tooth. Their products are certified organic and made without any artificial ingredients.

For even more ecofriendly and organic ice cream brands visit Treehugger.com.

Image: OnlyIceCream.com