Sponsored Post – from Castle Hill Fitness
Castle Hill Fitness has been committed to environmental conservation for years. Walking the green path isn’t always the easiest, it certainly isn’t the cheapest, and a lot of times it’s not sexy (see our photos of 100 percent post-consumer recycled toilet paper or our compost bins). But we’ve been making small changes over the years to deepen that commitment and we wanted to be more transparent about it. Even our own employees were surprised by some of the items on this list!
We understand how our actions are connected to the environment we live in and while it’s impossible to have no impact on it, we’d like to make sure our impact is as small as possible by continuing to make green choices. (For example, stay tuned for a super efficient shower head we’re testing out in the men’s locker room next month!)
Without further ado, here’s our 2016 list of ways we walk the talk:
#10. While we offer food in to-go containers along with plasticware, we also offer washable and reusable silverware, bowls, plates, mugs, and glasses for those times when you want to sit and chill for a while.
#9. Natural lighting when possible! We have five solar tubes upstairs and five of our seven studios have windows or skylights or both.
#8. We offer the Bike to be Lean and Green program – every visit gets a punch on our frequent biker card and you get a free smoothie once you fill it up! Note – it doesn’t have to be green!
#7. Believe it or not, many cleaning products contain toxins. That’s why we make our own 100 percent natural equipment cleaning spray. We use a specific ratio of water, tea tree oil and lavender oil mixed to maximize the antifungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of the oils. Also, it smells real good.
#6. Whenever possible, our food is local, sustainable and/or organic. For instance, we offer local eggs, tortillas, juices and kombuchas. And our smoothies are made with organic bases, fruits and juices. And, um, they’re delicious.
#5. ALL of our paper products (toilet paper, paper towels and copy paper) have 100 percent post-consumer recycled content.
#4. When our sheets and towels are past their prime, we keep them out of the landfill by donating them to local animal shelters.
#3. We only wash our laundry with eco-friendly detergents, fabric softeners and stain removers. Good for you and good for the environment!
#2. While our cafe began composting last year, we recently added compost bins throughout the gym as well. We’re on a mission this year to divert most of our trash to compost and recycling!
#1. We were excited to be a business partner of this year’s Give 5% to Mother Earth campaign, which benefitted nine amazing nonprofits working to keep Austin clean, green, and healthy.
