Dedication This manual is for the good people at GreenBody, who work tirelessly to enhance and sustain energy and function for all bodies of all species for all time.
The Natural StepWhat is The Natural Step? TNS is a model for planning and integrating sustainable development. It is important to understand sustainability as a business opportunity and to create strategies that will lead to a competitive advantage. It has been scientifically proven that humans are causing damage to nature and it’s systems. As a result, scientists have developed 4 basic conditions to maintain balance in these systems that sustain life on our planet. We must acknowledge that human actions are a force of change in our environment and must equally seek to understand the social and economic forces that motivate peoples actions based on needs . These values will form your triple bottom line. From www.thenaturalstep.org, here are the four system conditions of The Natural Step:To become a sustainable society we must... Condition 1 | What We Take …eliminate our contribution to the progressive buildup of substances extracted from the Earths crust (i.e. heavy metals and fossil fuels) Condition 2 | What We Make …eliminate our contribution to the progressive buildup of chemicals and compounds produced by society (i.e. dioxins, PCBs, and DDT ) Condition 3 | What We Break …eliminate our contribution to the progressive physical degradation and destruction of nature and natural processes (i.e. over harvesting forests and paving over critical wildlife habitat); and Condition 4 | What We Waste …eliminate our contribution to conditions that undermine people’s capacity to meet their basic human needs (i.e. unsafe working conditions and not enough pay to live on) .
Green Body System & Inventory To apply the Natural Step to the Green Body system, we must learn a bit about the system and take inventory. So what is Green Body? ‘Green Body is a fresh and welcoming space with the proper tools to bring you to the next level and beyond in holistic health and fitness. The studio was designed for full body functional strength-training with individual clients, small groups (2-4), and small classes (up to 12 depending on the class)’ . So let’s take inventory: What does Green Body consume, purchase, transform, throw away, and recycle? Natural Gas Electricity Cleaning Products Water Food Package Materials Building Materials• Uses • Uses • Uses • Uses • Uses • Uses • Uses •Heat • Lighting • Washing • Tap • Cooking Classes •Food •Construction •Cooking •Air Conditioning • Dishes • Washing • Staff transportation •Maintenance •Washing • Linens • Dishes • Clients •Containing food• Source •Electronics • Clients • Linens • Source •Centerpoint •Refrigeration • Cleaning • Clients • Source • Source •Wood • Equipment • Cleaning • Mississippi •Paper •Metal• Output • Source • Watering Market •Plastic •Plastic •CO2 • Source • Seventh • Drinking •Aluminum •Heat • Xcel Energy Generation • Output • Output • Natural Gas • Source • Compostable • Output •Compostable • Nuclear • Output • Tap Organic Waste •Compostable Material • Coal • Water • City of Saint • Non- Material •Non- • Phosphorous Paul compostable •Non- Compostable • Wind organic waste Compostable Material • Drinking Material • Recyclable • Output • Mississippi Market • Recyclable Material • Co2 Material • Culligan • Non-Recyclable •Heat • Non-Recyclable Material Material • Output • Gray Water
Condition 1 | What We Take Nature has adapted to certain amounts of heavy metals, fossil fuels, and minerals in the earth. When we humans mine these scattered resources, use them, and put them back into the earth in concentrated amounts, we cause great imbalance and stress to our natural systems. We must remember the laws that govern nature, which are truths that cannot be altered:1) Nothing disappears. According to the First Law of Thermodynamics and the Principle of Matter Conservation, matter and energy cannot be created or destroyed.2) Everything spreads. Due to the Second Law of Thermodynamics, matter and energy tend to disperse. Thus, eventually, all matter introduced into society will be dispersed into natural systems . You can control your impact by being conscious of your material, quality, quantity, and technology choices. Make consumption choices that are in harmony with the Earth’s natural systems so that when your materials return to the earth they will not increase the concentration levels.
What Can Green Body Do?Transportation Encourage human powered transportation whenever possible. Encourage clients to car pool. Drive alternate forms of motor vehicles. Drive vehicles that use renewable resources and biofuels. Drive vehicles that get high gas mileage. Purchase carbon offsets and strive to become carbon neutral. Work with organizations that invest in alternative transportation initiatives.
What Can Green Body Do?Energy Use electric generating, human powered technology in equipment. Create outdoor sessions and programs. Find out if your gas and electric companies have renewable energy options. Some utilities companies offer wind or hydroelectric energy at a small fee (that is usually offset by your savings in costs) or sometimes for free, but you have to ask for it. Acquire a home energy monitor to record your energy use so you can track your usage and make education decisions about your consumption. Use energy efficient light bulbs and appliances. Use power strips to shut off all electronics when not in use to save from ‘phantom load’ energy use. All electronics pull some electricity just from being plugged in. This pull is called ‘phantom load’ and this use can add up over time. Purchase carbon offsets and strive to become carbon neutral. Work with organizations who invest in carbon sequestration and renewable energy initiatives. Encourage and work with clients to create strategies so that they can become carbon neutral. Hang dry linens.
What Can Green Body Do?Materials Minimize consumption of materials and resources like water. Use high quality, durable materials that will last. Use repurposed materials whenever possible. Use recycled materials. Work with organizations that invest in alternative polymer development, environmental restoration, sustainable forestry and agriculture, and biomass initiatives and strive to become water neutral.
Condition 2 | What We Make We must be conscious of our consumption and keep that rate in balance with nature’s ability to process our waste. Reduce consumption of synthetic materials, choose biodegradable and compostable materials, and reduce waste.  Choose materials that are comprised of biological and technical nutrients which at the end of their life cycle can be easily assimilated by nature .‘80 percent of a products environmental footprint is determined during the design phase’ .
Why Should Green Body Care? #1: Green Body is positioned to be the first sustainable fitness studio in the mid- west, and 1 of only a handful in the entire country.Why Else? Today, we are over 390 parts per million of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Historically, our Earth has been at only 275 ppm; this is a healthy level for our planet. Climate experts believe that 350 ppm is the upper limit, and when we exceed this limit we risk damaging our planet’s systems beyond repair. This is the risk we are taking today with every action that emits CO2 into our atmosphere, and the consequences are unpredictable . ‘Since 1940, the production rates of synthetic petrochemicals has increased from one billion pounds to over 400 billion pounds in the 1980’s, the impacts of which include bioaccumulation and cancer’ . Today, many women’s human breast milk is so contaminated with mercury and flame retardants like Teflon (found in chairs, cars, clothes, beds, virtually everything we touch) that it would not be approved for human consumption by the FDA . By measuring and analyzing Green Body’s impact, we can reduce or eliminate its contribution to issues such as these, and the overall impact on the planet.
Where is Green Body Now?Currently, Green Body: Recycles paper, plastic bottles, and aluminum. Disposes of one tall kitchen bag of trash per month, the rest is recycled or composted or reused. Uses washable dishes instead of disposable. Has created a green ceiling which provides better air quality. Uses energy efficient lighting and use natural light when possible. Keeps heat and cooling temperatures at energy saving levels. Will soon use an Owl, an energy use monitor. Turns phantom load power off at night. Uses organic and fair trade ingredients smoothies and kombucha beverages. Uses water that is non-cooled and is supplied in refillable containers.
Where Does Green Body Want to Be?In 10 Years Be Carbon Neutral. Be Water Neutral. Be in a LEED certified building.In 5 Years Use energy generating equipment. Begin planning sustainable building initiative. Acquire small scale solar panels to supplement electricity. Install green roof.By Next Year Work with a sustainable designer. Initiate a sustainability plan. Work with organizations that invest in sustainable initiatives. Practice environmentally conscious actions. Understand and support government policies in sustainability. Reduce consumption, change habits, retrofit building, use available alternative energy options.
Carbon Neutral 1 Year 5 Years 10 Years Invest Purchase Use biomass carbon offsets AcquireWork with Initiate Practice Reduce need system for Become and use energy Acquire solar Begin plan forsustainable sustainability for cooking gas carbon Learn alternative generating panels LEED building designer plan refrigeration (eventually for neutral! energy options equipment Monitor all gas) at utilities
Water Neutral 1 Year 5 Years 10 Years Invest Install gray Use living Use eco Install rainWork with Initiate Practice water capture Install green machine to settings on barrels to Begin plan for Become watersustainable sustainability systems in roof on recycle all Learn washer and collect LEED building neutral! designer plan bathroom and building water in closed dishwasher rainwater Monitor kitchen loop system
LEED Certified 1 Year 5 Years 10 Years Invest Begin plan to Join up with Construct Use become LEED CreatedWork with Initiate Practice green coalition equipment repurposed certified or constructed Meet LEED Become LEEDsustainable sustainability for material instead of Learn and recycled acquire a equipment for requirements certified! designer plan swapping consuming materials LEED certified sale Monitor scheme equipment space
How Does Green Body Get There?In order to achieve our desired outcomes, we must have a clear vision of wherewe are trying to get to. We must utilize the tools others have created for us sothat we can measure and analyze our progress towards our vision. TOOLS: Vision •The Natural Step framework  •Carbon Footprint Calculator  •Water Footprint Calculator  •Triple Bottom Line  Outcome Strategy •Biomimicry  •Life Cycle Analysis  •Permaculture Principles  •Hannover Principles  Action
Condition 3 | What We BreakWe must be conscious of our actions and how they impact our biosphere; ourspecies, habitats, landscapes, ecosystems, and watersheds. We must keep our planet healthy in order to keep ourselves healthy. How do we do that? Compost to restore soil quality Invest in a gray water system to reduce consumption Invest in protecting natural habitats Design smart growth Support sustainable fishing, agriculture, and forestry
How Can Green Body Protect Water?Direct Invest in a gray water system at the studio. Used water from the sink can be used to flush the toilet. Used kitchen sink water can be collected to water the plants. Rain water can be collected from the roof.Indirect Work with organizations that invest in sustainable agriculture. ‘Worldwide, agriculture accounts for 70% of all water consumption’ , and with inefficient irrigation methods or in poor soils water runoff can be as much as 50%. This type of investment can help replace a gallon of water into our biosphere for every gallon that Green Body takes, leading to the goal of becoming water neutral. Work with organizations that invest in protecting and restoring natural habitats.
How Can Green Body Protect Earth?Food Work with organizations that invest in Sustainable Agriculture Choose organic, local foods Compost or make biofuels from organic wasteWood Work with organizations that invest in Sustainable Forestry Use reclaimed wood first whenever possible, recycled secondMetals Avoid consumption of toxic metals like chrome and mercury Reduce consumption of devices that plug in, which often have toxic metals in them that can be hard to recycle or reclaim
How Can Green Body Protect Biodiversity?Consumption Reduce Consumption of Meat. Avoid consuming fish and other meats that were harvested unsustainably. Eat local. Eat organic & free range foods.Restoration Work with organizations that invest in habitat protection and restoration. Use native plants in gardens. Use permaculture principles to maintain diversity and health of gardens.
The 3 Futures of Green BodyGreen Body has a choice Green Body can keep onto make about which keepin’ on doing the samedirection they want to things they are doing todaytake the business. Green Keep On Keepin’ and business will mostBody has 3 Futures. On likely stay relatively level. Green Body can go astray from theOr, Green Body can sustainability planbegin implementing and do nothing, Assume thethe ideas in this Go Astray allowing anothermanual and assume Position gym to takethe position of the advantage of thefirst sustainable huge opportunityfitness studio in the for sustainableMidwest. fitness in Saint Paul.
Condition 4 | What We WasteWe need to understand what it means to meet our needs with efficiency and what it means to live with ‘enough’.Money is only good for meeting basic needs with. After that is done, happiness comes from living life, not making money. We must consume less and waste less.Redefine the Green Body service. What is Green Body really selling? How can we provide the customer with what they really want more efficiently? Do not waste human capital. Social equity is just as important as economy and environment. Support Fair Trade initiatives.
Summary In Conclusion…In order to get where you are going you have to see what it is you are seeking. Take inventory of your consumption and waste. Decide where you want to be in the future. Figure out what steps you will need to take to get there.This manual has been created specifically for Green Body with suggestions on how sustainability might become a strategic advantage that can provide greater economic wealth, social equity, and environmental well being for Green Body’s triple bottom line. Thank you.
Sources TheNaturalStep.org | http://www.thenaturalstep.org/the-system-conditions GreenBody.net | http://www.greenbody.net/training-studio.php A Deeper Look at System Condition 1, Jill Rosenblum | https://learn.mcad.edu/@@/4238F531F3985F0DC0E352C642C2E05E/courses/1/SDVS-1960-10- F10/content/_110299_1/NaturalStepSC1.pdf Cradle to Cradle, William McDonough, 2002. A Deeper Look at System Condition 2, Jill Rosenblum | https://learn.mcad.edu/@@/D5FCFE87D5AD13C7010606AC10993ADC/courses/1/SDVS-1960-10- F10/content/_110307_1/NaturalStepSC2.pdf 350.org | http://www.350.org/en/about/science Nature.org | http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/ Cannibals with Forks, John Elkington, 1998. BiomimicryInstitute.org | http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/ ISO.org | http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/management_and_leadership_standards/environmental_management.htm Holmgren.com | http://www.holmgren.com.au/ 80% of a Product Footprint is Determined in Design Phase | http://www.corporateclimate.net/green-manufacturing- climate/35-equipment-technology/141-80-percent-of-a-products-environmental-footprint-is-determined-during-the- design-phase.html NewYorkTimes.com | http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/09/magazine/09TOXIC.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1 McDonough.com | http://www.mcdonough.com/principles.pdf Waterfootprint.org | http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=cal/WaterFootprintCalculator Worldometers.info | http://www.worldometers.info/water/
Kelly KokaiselDesign for Community Fall | 2010