You can read about Climate Change on Wikipaedia. Over the past few hours (ever since 15th October started somewhere in the world) blog entries have been launched on the topic of climate change, and Change.org, the organisers of this event, recommend 7 YouTube videos you should watch for Blog Action Day.
As extreme/adrenalin sports enthusiasts, how can we balance out our desire to move through the world at a crazy speed, and a desire to contribute to the environment? Groups such as ‘Surfers Against Sewage‘ have very much demonstrated how this can be done, and each time we make a conscious decision to gain our adrenalin buzz from a sport which has a low ecological footprint, the better – with each occasion making a difference.
In this vein, this blog post identified some sports in which you can still get your heart pumping, but are kinder to the environment, than maybe some others are.!
Hiking
In keeping to well marked trails, hiking is a low-environmental-impact activity. Enjoy the fresh air, enjoy the views, and gain a “big picture perspective”, which should leave you encouraged to return home and undertake more eco-options within the home.
Those working in outdoor pursuit centres have a great love for the environment, many are set in areas of outstanding natural beauty, and your co-ordinators will educate you in the best way to undertake your adrenalin pursuits with respect for the environment… amusing video below:
Learn to survive in the great outdoors, Bushcraftuk can tell you more – join the forums – and there’s no need to think you need to be Ray Mears – although we have a video of him here!
Outdoor Swimming
No need to pollute the world with chlorine – find an appropriate lake and dive in – just ensure that you’re body is not covered in a number of pollutants!
The Outdoor Swimming Society offers a number of options in the UK: “…unlike a pool there are no lane ropes and no walls to push off from, all of which ensure that extra distance is covered. Wind can make water choppy and rough, which takes a bit of getting used to, and chillier water will reduce your swimming speed. The biggest thing for most people is getting used to the look of natural water (it’s green – and there are no lines on the bottom!). Just expect a sense of surprise the first time you feel the squelch of mud under your feet or look down and find you can’t see the bottom. Keep breathing normally; focus on the sky above you or the silky feel of fresh water, and you’ll soon relax into it.”
Don’t wish to fly up in a plane, but want to experience the feeling of freefall? Try a simulator, and experience it without ever leaving the ground!
If carried out responsibly, with concern for fish stocks, fishing can be a great sport. Chill out at the side of a lake, catch your dinner, no need to travel too far from home.
Archery – all that’s required is a field, a board and some arrows… or maybe you need a little more than that, but very low environmental impact!
What other extreme and adrenalin sports can you identify as being particularly environmentally-friendly?
