Eco-Friendly Gear for Earth Day

Published April 19, 2018 01:49PM

Maybe this Earth Day you’re volunteering to clean your local park, or perhaps you’ll write your representatives about environmental protection. If your Earth Day activities include looking for ways to lessen your carbon footprint, consider the products you buy for swim, bike, and run. Thanks to these environmentally-friendly companies, there are plenty of options for gear you’ll feel good about.

Jaybird RUN

To celebrate Earth Day, Jaybird has released a limited-edition design of their popular RUN headphones. With a colorway inspired by nature, the Earth Day RUN headphones are Jaybird’s way of contributing to the fight to preserve open spaces. Ten percent proceeds from the headphones will benefit The Conservation Alliance, as well as an additional ten percent of all Jaybird website sales on Earth Day.

CLIF Bar

Noted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a 2017 Climate Leader for its efforts to promote climate action and green power across the supply chain, Clif Bar is a major player in corporate sustainability efforts. In addition to buying over 750 million pounds of organic ingredients to make their sport nutrition products, Clif strives for zero-waste status as well as reducing and offsetting CO2 emissions generated by their production. Customers can also participate firsthand in Clif’s green ambitions, thanks to a partnership with Terracycle, a free recycling program for energy bar wrappers.

Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts

Patagonia, one of the most vocal activists for environmental issues, not only talks the talk: environmental responsibility is present throughout the entire supply chain, from responsibly-sourced materials to green infrastructure. Every product available for purchase has a “footprint,” a remarkably transparent list of the labor practices, working conditions, and environmental impact that went into making the product, allowing consumers to make informed decisions about each product they purchase.

Newton Running Distance Elite

Newton was the first running shoe company to achieve B Corp status, a distinction bestowed upon for-profit companies that meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. In addition to creating products with as much recycled material as possible—the Distance Elite boasts 100 percent recycled laces, webbing, insole topcover, and packaging, as well as 10 percent recycled rubber in the sole—Newton also partners with charities like One World Running to give used shoes a second life in impoverished countries.

Nube9 Black Racerback Tank

Designed and made in the USA, each Nube9 product is made from post-consumer, domestically sourced recycled plastic water bottles. Their popular racerback tank contains more than 15 water bottles—but it feels as soft as your favorite tech tee.

Adidas Ultraboost Parley Shoes

The popular Boost line from Adidas goes green, thanks to a partnership with Parley for the Oceans, which intercepts waste from beaches and coastal communities before it reaches the oceans. The waste is then spun into yarn, which is used in the flexible, sock-like knit upper of the Ultraboost Parley.

Nathan HamerHead 18 oz Steel Insulated Bottle

The U.S. recycling rate for plastic is only 23 percent, which means 38 billion water bottles are wasted each year. Further, an estimated 60 billion coffee cups in the U.S. end up in landfills annually, because they can’t be recycled easily. When you fill up at the water fountain or coffee shop, with Nathan’s triple-insulated steel bottles, you can stay hydrated (or caffeinated) while skipping wasteful bottles and paper cups. Nathan doubles down on their green efforts by donating proceeds from every purchase to the Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas Initiative.

Defunkify Active Wash Laundry Detergent

The average household does more than 400 loads of laundry per year; some would argue triathletes do even more. What you put in your washing machine matters, as some ingredients in laundry detergents have been found to have toxic and persistent environmental impact. Defunkify, designed by runners to clean the stinkiest of workout clothes, utilizes biodegradable, sustainable plant-based sources from the EPA Safer Choice List and employs state-of-the-art science to make better, greener products to get the funk out.

Thinksport Safe Sunscreen

According to the Environmental Working Group, nearly 70 percent of non-mineral sunscreens contain oxybenzone, a chemical known to bleach and kill coral reef populations. It’s not much better for humans either, as oxybenzone has been linked to skin allergies and hormone disruption. Thinksport’s 50 SPF formula removes this chemical, making it safe all around. For a little added green, the company donates 10 percent of all online sales to charities like the Environmental Working Group and the Plastic Oceans Foundation.