11 Ways to Keep Exercise in Proper (Greener) Perspective

Is exercise green? That depends. It can be, but it requires some perspective.

Modern health clubs typically require us to navigate our way past enough computers to make Judy Jetson blush. However, humans beings stayed in shape for centuries before anyone thought to charge exorbitant amounts of money for the right to push around inanimate hunks of iron beneath the soothing glow of a neon light. Even Ah-nold admits: "One hundred years ago we had to do everything with our bodies. We worked to get lumber and stones for building a house. We had to work with our hands, we had to run, we had to crawl under things, we had to swim. The efforts of everyday living kept the body in shape. But now, because almost everything is done with machines, people have become lazy."

The Governator has unexpectedly segued into the intersection of green and fit. Industrial civilization has altered human culture in devastating ways. Keeping ourselves and our landbase healthy is no longer a simple task. Fitness--both mental and physical--is a crucial component for any serious subversive. If you think smashing capitalism is tough, try doing it with clogged arteries or carpal tunnel syndrome. But, the green movement has been built on a foundation of choosing simplicity, of recognizing that less is usually more, of everyone doing their part. Your health and the planet's health are intricately interwoven, but if your day is built around your time in the gym, you might be missing the point. So, in the name of keeping "health" in "health club," here are...