When we created ChopFit, finding a charitable partner that aligned with our fitness brand was a top priority.
One Tree Planted was the perfect fit. They’re a mission-driven tree planting organization that combines their own efforts with those of their corporate partners to curb deforestation and provide jobs around the world.
Trees are incredibly vital to our health, which is (naturally) very aligned to our mission at ChopFit. According to One Tree Panted:
“Trees help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and provide habitat to over 80% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. Forests provide jobs to over 1.6 billion people, absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere, and are key ingredients in 25% of all medicines.”
Through our partnership with One Tree Planted, we plant a tree for every Chopper sold. In 2020, One Tree Planted was able to plant just over 10,000,000 trees in total. Not all of those came from us, of course, but we feel pretty darn good about being a part of that number.
"We couldn't have picked a better brand and mission to align with at ChopFit. It's been the perfect fit for us to give back to a great cause through a wonderful organization." - Jon Spillman, ChopFit Founder and CEO
The philosophy behind giving back to the planet
Fitness, health, and wellness brands have a responsibility to give back to the environment.
Since — well, since forever — nature has been integral to humankind’s fitness journey. Long before sleek gyms and fancy equipment, we used things found in nature and our own bodies to reach out fitness goals.
Exercising outside, in nature, is equally beneficial for our physical and mental health. Investing in fitness innovations that get people outside or allowing them to contribute to green efforts boosts morale and makes people more productive in their workouts.
A study conducted by Extreme Physiology & Medicine states that:
“Green exercise may help motivation to undertake physical activity by increasing enjoyment and escapism from everyday life, with both a social and entertainment value. There is even some evidence to suggest that exercise may feel easier when performed in the natural environment. When allowed to self-select walking speed, participants tend actually to walk faster outdoors, compared to indoors. Paradoxically, they report a lower rating of perceived exertion” [US National Library of Medicine].
When you invest in nature and the environment, you invest in the people who enjoy it. Utilizing green spaces or our own homes in addition to or in place of driving to gyms creates variety in our workouts and reduces carbon footprint.
Appreciating nature and using it for the purpose of fitness and wellness also has a trickle down effect on future generations. When our children are exposed to environmentally sustainable efforts (and they see us making thoughtful purchases that believe in the same efforts), they’re likely to carry that with them throughout their life and pass the same ideas on to those who come after them. “Children learn so much from watching and taking in their environments and the people in their lives”, says Green Living Ideas. “Likewise, children with active parents are more willing to stay active. Seeing parents use alternative transportation may increase their desire to bike or walk to their own destinations. Make the changes and children will follow.”
Our partnership with One Tree Planted helps us meet this mission for ourselves and our community. With the Chopper and supplemental ChopFit workouts, our athletes can get outside or work out from home. The "gym" isn’t something you have to drive to anymore; it’s wherever you make it. That idea fosters a community and, with strength in numbers, we can improve environmental sustainability for years to come — largely thanks to organizations like One Tree Planted.