Some recreational activities, like flying to Europe or off-roading in a gasoline-powered vehicle, are less climate-friendly than others. We've been adding to our list of fun recreational activities that emit less carbon. Here's our list. What climate-friendly recreational activities do you enjoy?
Archery. We installed a very homemade archery target on our property, so we can practice at home and avoid the 3 hour round trip drive to our favorite indoor practice range. Our septic field makes a nice flat archery range. We pounded the T-posts in just beyond the end of the drain field to avoid puncturing the pipes. (See photo above)
Music. Cat enjoys playing acoustic chamber music with pick-up groups of neighbors. It's a great way to meet other musicians in the community.
Board games. Our family loves playing classic board games like Pictionary, Pit, and Scrabble when we gather for the holidays. They are also fun when we are conserving power.
Hiking, mountain biking, snow shoeing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, and cross-country skiing are great ways to get exercise in the clean mountain air and enjoy the views. The gear we use depends on the trail and the weather, but none of it burns fuel, and we often start from our driveway as a "trailhead."
Gardening and food preservation. Ota relishes gardening and canning enough for it to count as a recreational activity, as well as a way to reduce the carbon footprint of our diet.
Snuggling. Snuggling with partner, family members, and our cat calms the nervous system, strengthens relationships, and doesn't emit carbon.
Photography. We enjoy taking pictures of the natural beauty around us, including wildflowers, trees, mountain vistas, birds, moose, elk, and coyotes.
Connecting with family and friends online. We started using online meeting software for virtual visits with family and friends during the pandemic, and have found it to be a good way to stay in touch without burning the fuel needed for an in-person visit.
Online exercise classes, music and theater performances, religious gatherings, meetings, and movies. We've also found online dance and spin classes are a great alternative to driving to in-person classes. And we are now able to attend performances, gatherings, meetings, and movies that used to be problematic for Ota to attend in person because of the chemical exposures from laundry fragrance.