Playing sports in nature can help you relax and improve your performance and breathing due to the favorable conditions of these spaces. However, to practice sustainable sport, you must take care of the environment and avoid altering it as much as possible .
In this way, you can preserve natural spaces to enjoy them for a longer time and allow future generations to carry out sports activities in nature. In addition, it is important that you research existing regulations and avoid generating waste or polluting your environment . Learn the best tips to ensure a sustainable sport practice in nature!
Tips for practicing sustainable sport
Sports activities and caring for the environment must be carried out together to improve the practice and allow future generations to do so.
Do not generate physical pollution
One of the main details that you must take into account when doing sports in nature is that you must respect the environment. In this sense, carrying out your physical activities in natural spaces should not be a source of contamination or affect the habitat of other species .
Don’t trash your alter
When doing sports you must keep all the packaging and waste of consumed products, and only dispose of them in previously authorized places . In this way, you avoid altering the environment or putting the lives of other species that may consume them at risk.
Encourage other athletes and lead by example
When you participate in a sustainable sport practice, you must bear in mind that not all participants will have the same sense of respect for the environment. Therefore, it is important that you respectfully try to call attention to people to avoid polluting spaces . In addition, if possible, each person should take responsibility for their waste and deposit it in urban dumps to avoid collapsing those authorized for the activity.
Do not generate noise or light pollution
During outdoor sports activities you should avoid as much as possible generating noise or light flashes that could alter the fauna. Therefore, do not use music devices, speakers, megaphones, bright signs, or pyrotechnics .
Do not use products that can start fires
When practicing sustainable sports you should not use incandescent products with flames or high temperatures, as they can generate fires . Similarly, if you use them, it is important that you turn them off completely and protect them until you find an ideal place to dispose of them.
Don’t disturb the environment
While you do sports activities it is important that you do not alter nature in order to have a memory of the spaces. In this sense, you should not mark or drill the trees and neither remove plants or animals from their natural habitat . In this way, you will ensure that other people can also enjoy the environment and you will avoid affecting the biological diversity of the place.
Walk or use public transportation
Employing group modes of transportation can significantly help reduce pollution and the use of resources such as energy . Similarly, this will reduce the spaces required to park vehicles, which can help protect the environment.
On the other hand, in the case of short routes, less than 1 km, it is advisable to walk or use a bicycle . In addition, if possible, it is recommended to use fluvial means of transport, since these are usually the least polluting and generate less energy consumption.
Respect the proposed routes
During the performance of a sustainable sport practice, the routes proposed by the organizers or administrators of the place must be respected. Therefore, it is important that you avoid traveling through sensitive areas, such as wetlands, rivers or peaks, as you can alter and contaminate them .
Plan the logistics
Another important detail when doing outdoor sports activities is planning all the logistics well. In this way, you must take into account the food and hydration necessary, the waste containers and how you will move them .
In addition, if possible, use reusable packaging to reduce the negative impact on the environment . Likewise, it is important that each participant marks all their belongings with a personal code so that they avoid throwing them into nature and contaminating it.
Avoid high speeds
If you practice sustainable sport by bicycle or other means of transport, it is important that you control your speed . In this way, you will avoid sudden braking and skidding, as this can erode the ground and weaken it.
Likewise, you should avoid traveling through unauthorized or sensitive areas that may be affected by your presence . In addition, if you use motorized means of transport, you must carry out periodic maintenance and use anti-pollution systems such as filters.
Take only what you need
When you do sports activities in nature, you should bring only what is essential to avoid generating waste and polluting the environment . In this way, when practicing sustainable sport you must bring food and water, waste containers, and communication and location devices. In addition, this will help you perform better by reducing your effort when moving.
Use sustainably made garments and materials
When doing sports you should use clothes, accessories and products made with durable and environmentally friendly materials . In this way, you will avoid constantly generating waste and will help reduce pollution on the planet.
Avoid crowded activities in sensitive areas
During mass sports practices, protected areas should be avoided so as not to alter them and damage their flora and fauna . Therefore, you must previously investigate the enabled areas to plan your route without affecting the environment.
How to organize a sustainable sport practice?
As an athlete you can organize or encourage the performance of sustainable practices that have the least negative impact on the environment. In this way, it is important that you know the existing regulations and the various ways in which sports practices can help preserve the planet .
Organizers
- Investigate and ensure compliance with all environmental regulations .
- Raises awareness among participants to protect the environment in which they will practice sustainable sport. In addition, you must indicate to them that they must not extract or cause harm to the animals and plants present in the area.
- Plan the logistics related to the collection and disposal of waste found on the planned routes.
- It encourages the recycling of waste and sustainable practices , both related to transport and energy generation.
Athletes
- Study the routes enabled in advance and avoid shortcuts , as you can alter the environment.
- Only deposit the waste in the containers and spaces designated for this . Also, if possible, prefer to keep and dispose of them at home to avoid saturating the deposits placed for the activity.
- Avoid wasting food and water , and only use reusable packaging.
- Do not feed the animals you find while doing sustainable sports, as you can affect their health.
- If you use a bicycle, avoid skidding and only use ecological glues to repair punctures.
