San Diego’s First Eco-Friendly Gym Combines Sustainability with Humanitarianism

San Diego’s first human-powered fitness studio, The Greenasium, opened at 1465 Encinitas Blvd. in Encinitas on September 1, 2010, with the philosophy of reducing, reusing, recycling and giving back. Combining an environmentally balanced personal training fitness studio with community-based volunteerism to support worthy causes takes global change to a new level. Integrating eco-friendly practices with humanitarian objectives helps both the environment and the community the business is based in. According to one of the three owners, David Chaffee, “By balancing what we consume with our business practices paired with our volunteerism, we’re giving back to both the community and the environment — this reduces our impact and enhances customer service.”

The 2600 square foot facility is equipped with state-of-the-art specialty spin bikes manufactured by Resource Fitness, Inc. that convert kinetic energy generated by pedaling into A/C electricity that is fed directly back to the power grid. During a typical 30-minute workout, this creates enough power to drive five CFL light bulbs, ten smart phones or a stereo. The studio utilizes rubber flooring made of recycled tires and locker rooms feature low-flow showers, dual flush toilets, and filtered tap water with live plants throughout. A no-to-low plastic policy further reduces their carbon footprint. Services offered include individual and group personal training, personalized fitness assessments, outdoor sessions, yoga and Zumba classes.

The owners and staff have volunteered their time to community events, such as setup and takedown for the recent Encinitas Chamber of Commerce’s “Oktoberfest” and they are working with the City of Encinitas Parks and Recreation Department to develop an ongoing program of donating time and their facilities. They are participating in beach clean-ups, e-waste recycling with the Solana Center, acting as a plastic grocery bag drop location, water reduction programs and are currently engaged in discussions with the Surfrider Foundation. To learn more visit the Greenasium website or call 760/944-1235.

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