12 ecological and economic activities to do outdoors

Urban parks, beaches or mountains are great places to do all kinds of sports in company. Even if you are not a lover of gyms and have led a practically sedentary life during the winter, you will surely find an activity that entertains and tones you at the same time. Combining these sports daily or several times a week, you will keep in shape, you will feel much healthier and you will have fun making the most of the low temperatures. We propose a list of activities that you can do during these days:

• Volleyball or beach volleyball. One of the favorite summer sports, to play both on the beach and in the parks. You will only need a ball and a net, although if you don’t have one, you can build one yourself. In order not to get too hot, we recommend putting yourself in the shade or getting a cloth cap or hat. Team fun guaranteed!
• Badminton or paddle sports. With just two rackets and a ball, you will put your aim to the test and spend evenings of laughs as a couple or in teams. These sports are ideal for playing on the beach, although they have the disadvantage that if it is windy, it becomes more difficult for us to control the ball. In some parks, there are pin-pong tables made of stone, another of the fun paddle exercises.
• Football. The beautiful sport in Spain could not be absent from this list. With just one ball, you can form teams and prepare a summer mini-league with which you will surely have fun and tone your legs.
• Skating. Surely in your city or in the town where you spend your holidays you will find many places where you can test your balance and become an expert in this fun sport that you can do alone or in company. In the promenades, sports centers or in the walks near the bank of a river you will find all the space you need to skate at your leisure.
• Slackline. This sport has become very fashionable, which consists of testing our balance by walking on a tightrope, which you can tie between two trees. Suitable for children and adults, you will only need a little practice.
• Frisbee. A simple and fun sport in which you will not need more than a plate (frisbee) to spend entertaining mornings and afternoons. Team up to see who is more skilled at this exercise. Plus, it’s a lot of fun to watch your rival run after the frisbee.
• To swim. Of course, one of the summer sports, whether you go to municipal swimming pools, or if you prefer to do it on the beach, lakes or rivers (much more natural and recommended). Take advantage of these months to take good dips and remember that swimming will help you if you suffer from back pain.

This is just a sample of the myriad of sports or activities that you can do outdoors, but of course there are many more, it is just a matter of finding yours!

If there is a healthy, fun and ecological transport par excellence, it is the bicycle, which also regains all its prominence in warm times. The bike will allow you to do sports, entertain yourself and move quickly, becoming your means of transport.

Unfortunately, not all European cities have a complete bicycle system with which you could do things like go to work, but surely, by investigating, you will be able to know where to go to take countless laps with this device. Bicycles do not pollute and we can find them at a low price, for example, if we borrow them from someone we trust or buy them second-hand.

We have many possibilities when it comes to taking a relaxing and fun boat trip that will make us enjoy the water, the breeze and the sun simultaneously like never before. In many cities with a sea or a large river you can rent a small boat for 2 or 4 people that will cradle you by the water for a few hours. The most common ones are those with rowing (you will strengthen your back and arms) or those with pedals, which are usually much faster and do not cost more than about 3 euros per person if you gather 4 friends. If we live near a river, stream or swamp and we have an inflatable boat, we will have fun afternoons guaranteed.

There are also other boats, such as kayaks, that allow us to make routes downstream and live a fabulous adventure.

It is proven that oriental relaxation and breathing exercises , such as yoga, tai chi, Pilates and the like, help us find physical and mental calm, becoming great allies for personal development. Whether you already practice them or have never tried them, summer offers us a wonderful opportunity to put them into practice. You will not need more than a foam rubber mat or soft blanket to support you and a cassette or mp3 to listen to the exercises if you are not yet a professional and do not know the dynamics.

In the urban parks of large cities it is increasingly common to find groups of people who get together to practice these relaxing exercises. The natural contact with the sun and the air will make the experience much more enriching than if we do it indoors.

Is there something more relaxing, pleasant and economical than receiving a massage for our loved ones? Lie down on the beach or park and ask your partner to help you relax your muscles and give you a few minutes of happiness with a massage on the back, face, feet or wherever you like.

You will not need more than the sun cream that you normally apply. The ideal for massaging are essential oils, but in that case you should be in the shade, otherwise you could burn your skin. If you are amateurs in this art, with an mp3 and an audio course of relaxing massages, you can spend mornings and afternoons learning new techniques and practicing among yourselves. To relax!

An activity that, although it requires a bit of practice, is flying a kite. It seems like a thing of the past, but it isn’t! You can build a nice kite yourself and find the most suitable place to fly it. Once you get it, you will see how hypnotized you are watching it in the air. An activity to do as a family that will greatly amuse you both in the manual and creative process of designing the kite and when you spend afternoons running around to watch it fly.

Outdoor activities with absolute respect for the environment are not limited to physical exercise or sports. Celebrate that the cold and the rains have moved away to eat in the street, which feels much better than at home. One way to do this is by organizing picnics with family or friends , both during the day and at dusk.

To be eco-friendly during these outdoor gatherings remember to use strengthened reusable plastic plates, glasses and cutlery and avoid all throwaway utensils, which are highly polluting. Try to include in your picnic basket foods that do not require cooking or frying, such as a cheese board, jams that you have made yourself, tomatoes, salads, homemade lemonades … and, of course, collect and recycle the used elements before leaving the field or park you have gone to.

Who said board games are only for rainy afternoons? Imagine how much fun it would be to gather a group of friends and spend the afternoon playing in the park , with the breeze on your face and the birds flying around.

We can opt for classic games, such as dominoes, cards or Parcheesi, or we can immerse ourselves in an interesting game of strategy games. If we want something more dynamic, choose timeless games like Twister, with which children and adults will have a great time.

Many of these games, in addition, we can build ourselves with recycled paper and imagination.

Surprise your partner with a date they will not forget. Forget the trendy restaurants and bars and prepare something much more special and romantic. At sunset or at night, you can put in a basket a bottle of wine (if it is white, try to have a river nearby to cool it or bring a small fridge), two crystal glasses and something quick and easy to eat that does not get dirty . For example, cheeses, cold cuts, a potato omelette, cherry tomatoes, cut fruits, nuts and a long etcetera, which you can distribute in tuppers or lunch boxes.

Date your partner in a place you know little about where there is a good view and a quiet environment. For example, on the bank of a river or in the middle of a forest. If you want to give an even more special touch, you can light some ecological wax candles. You will spend a great night of relaxation and much more original chat at a very low cost.

It is time to plan the times we have free (weekends, vacations) to get away from the city a bit, if we live in one, during this summer. Find out about which towns or natural places are not far from home (always trying to minimize the use of the car) and organize fun excursions to know them all. Towns, rural areas, places where there are animals in the wild, springs, rivers, forests, hiking trails … everything you want, as long as you make the most of contact with nature.

If you decide to do it as a couple, you will spend a very entertaining summer and collect hundreds of experiences together. In addition, it is a great activity to do as a family, especially if you have young children. We recommend that you encourage your children to sew themselves a notebook with recycled paper, where they can write by chapters what they have seen and experienced in each town or place visited: photos that they can make themselves, drawings, memories, sheets, etc. In addition to an unforgettable summer, you will be giving them the possibility of having a book full of experiences that they will surely not stop reading when winter returns.

Reading is fun, cheap and enriches the mind. Furthermore, few activities help us relax as much as reading. We propose a plan to save money and, at the same time, alleviate the environment a little from the damage caused by paper consumption. Make an appointment in your closest park -or in a house- to the largest group of friends you can get, who you think or suspect are interested in reading, and organize a market or book exchange. You will have a great time commenting on which one you liked the most or listening to recommendations on which one to read!

If this is not possible, take advantage of the advantages offered by public libraries or even swimming pools to read on summer afternoons.

You can spend the afternoon with your friends or children picking blackberries to later make the most delicious natural jams. Likewise, we can do it with other fruits of nature to eat in a much more natural way.

In addition to these examples, there are so many more eco-friendly and inexpensive activities to have fun, learn, and get fit with this summer. Do you know any more?

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