Can Active Living Save the Planet?

There is an ongoing debate over whether or not we are detrimentally affecting the world's atmospheric environment.
 
There are climate change believers and climate change deniers!  In my previous existence prior to my Fitness Training career, I had a university degree in Geography and worked in the Environmental field.
I am a believer and have difficulty understanding deniers. I actually find the climate change debate between believers and deniers rather futile. It seems counter productive!
   It is irrefutable that industry and cars can produce gaseous waste. Too much waste can pollute! No matter how far to the political right that you are, how can you argue that? Trying to reduce gaseous emissions can only be a good thing.
   My environmental days happened in the Canadian west. That's oil country! I totally understand the importance of energy extraction as the engine that fuels that economy. I like to try to see the middle ground and look at ways that the fossil fuel business can help fund the growth of alternative energy sources that may have less environmental impact. Unfortunately those at the left and right extremes see everything in black and white. This stunts the search for real, practical answers!

   What does this have to do with Fitness Training! According to the book "The End of Growth" by Jeff Rubin, one of the most successful countries at reducing emissions has been Denmark. They have many wind farms but most of their energy still comes from coal. Coal is a significant source of pollution and emission.
   So how does Denmark do it? They have made oil prices costly.
When this happens there are possible effects:

• People may drive less. 
• They may tend to live closer to where they work. 
• They take public transit more often.
• They run, bike, walk, skate, or ski more to get around instead of taking a car.

This could have longer term consequences:

• Urban sprawl with it's low density, sidewalk-lacking, automobile dependent environment may become less of a choice for short sighted urban managers and land speculators.
• People may become more active.
• People may decide to park their personal cars and seek other modes of transport or join car-sharing clubs.
• Emissions may actually drop.

   Hamlet said "Something is rotten in Denmark!" Well it smells less rotten now. Other countries may follow the Dane's example out of necessity.

   As people become more active because of fuel costs, they may decide to take the next step and seek the services of a Fitness Trainer. Conversely, energy costs may force them to become more money conscious and curtail non-essential spending.
Will it be Boom or Bust for future Fitness Trainers? I'm betting on the Boom!

Fresher air and fitter days could lay ahead!

Until next time,...keep fit!

Little Bobby Strong