ATHLETES FOR NATURE
A tribal movement of outdoor enthusiasts that not only appreciate the importance of nature but also take action to protect it.
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Nature
- the phenomena of the physical world collectively, including plants, animals, the landscape, and other features and products of the earth -
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Trail runners, as well as all other outdoor athletes, are well primed to care about nature; this is our playground! We need to be more aware and respectful of not just nature but the full biodiversity that inhabits it.
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Not only is time spent in nature crucial for our physical and mental health, but we are reliant on a healthy planet for a healthy human race. It is imperative that we care for the environment we utilise. Everything we do as a means of living or pleasure has a direct impact on nature.
Our mission as a movement is to encourage more people to immerse themselves in nature by taking the following actions:
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Protect wild places - be respectful, do not be destructive and leave only footsteps
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Plogging - if you see rubbish, pick it up
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Contribute back - clean up, plant, reinstate... give something back to nature and the surrounding communities
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Learn about the impacts on nature - we have plenty of resources to help you with that
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Plan(e)t Cuisine - undertake dietary changes that reduce the negative impact on nature; go plant-based. The bonus is an improvement in your performance!
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Consider your transport options when getting to nature such as public transport or carpooling
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Support events that reduce their impact on nature such as being cupless, minimising their waste and supporting local community projects
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Sports Gear Revived - when you no longer need your sports gear, donate it to this important campaign.
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Take actions that are unique to you and do the best you can
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This campaign uses physical activity as a means to help achieve some of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Physical activity has multiple health, social and economic benefits that can make a significant contribution to community well-being and quality of life.
Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and treat non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, help prevent hypertension, overweight and obesity, and can improve mental health too.
Join the tribe
By purchasing one of our branded apparel items you not only become a part of the movement but you also help us at TLI create more resources and deliver our outreach programmes, which gets more people out in nature.
The amount you pay is split between the apparel cost and a donation to The Lentil Intervention (tax-deductible in NZ only). Contact us for banking details and to send us your postal address.
Plogging
Plogga is a global movement created by Swede Erik Ahlström that mixes picking up rubbish and jogging into one; plocka (pick up) + jogga (jog) = plogga. As part of Athletes for Nature, we encourage people to undertake physical movement whilst living in a cleaner world.
We all enjoy playing in a clean and safe environment so next time you head out for a walk or run in the forest, on the footpath or along the beach, pick up rubbish along the way.
Sustainable Development Goals
Athletes for Nature endeavours to address 4 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as set out by the United Nations, established as the blueprint to achieving a better and more sustainable future for all by addressing global challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation.
Click on our targeted SDGs to learn more about them.
If our work is of value to you, please consider 'buying us a coffee'. This will help us cover our administrative costs and produce more content.
