Sustainability Plan concept for a Sustainable Boutique Fitness Studio.

1. The Green Body Project
A SUSTAINABILITY MANUAL

2. Dedication
This manual is for the good people at Green
Body, who work tirelessly to enhance and sustain
energy and function for all bodies of all species
for all time.

3. The Natural Step
What 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 [1]. 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 Earth's 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) [1].

4. 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)’ [2]. 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

5. 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 [3].
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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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. [5] Choose materials that are comprised of biological
and technical nutrients which at the end of their life cycle can be easily assimilated by nature [4].
‘80 percent of a product's environmental footprint is determined during the design phase’
[12].

10. 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 [6].
 ‘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’ [5].
 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 [13].
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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. Carbon Neutral
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Invest Purchase
Use biomass
carbon offsets Acquire
Work with Initiate Practice Reduce need system for Become
and use energy Acquire solar Begin plan for
sustainable 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

14. Water Neutral
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Invest Install gray Use living
Use eco Install rain
Work with Initiate Practice water capture Install green machine to
settings on barrels to Begin plan for Become water
sustainable 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

15. LEED Certified
1 Year 5 Years 10 Years
Invest Begin plan to
Join up with Construct
Use become LEED Created
Work with Initiate Practice green coalition equipment
repurposed certified or constructed Meet LEED Become LEED
sustainable 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

16. How Does Green Body Get There?
In order to achieve our desired outcomes, we must have a clear vision of where
we are trying to get to. We must utilize the tools others have created for us so
that we can measure and analyze our progress towards our vision.
TOOLS:
Vision
•The Natural Step framework [1]
•Carbon Footprint Calculator [7]
•Water Footprint Calculator [15]
•Triple Bottom Line [8] Outcome Strategy
•Biomimicry [9]
•Life Cycle Analysis [10]
•Permaculture Principles [11]
•Hannover Principles [14]
Action

17. Condition 3 | What We Break
We must be conscious of our actions and how they impact our biosphere; our
species, 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

18. 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’ [16], 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.

19. 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 waste
Wood
 Work with organizations that invest in Sustainable Forestry
 Use reclaimed wood first whenever possible, recycled second
Metals
 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

20. 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.

21. The 3 Futures of Green Body
Green Body has a choice
Green Body can keep on
to make about which
keepin’ on doing the same
direction they want to things they are doing today
take the business. Green Keep On Keepin’ and business will most
Body has 3 Futures. On likely stay relatively level.
Green Body can go
astray from the
Or, Green Body can sustainability plan
begin implementing and do nothing,
Assume the
the ideas in this Go Astray allowing another
manual and assume Position gym to take
the position of the advantage of the
first sustainable huge opportunity
fitness studio in the for sustainable
Midwest. fitness in Saint
Paul.

22. Condition 4 | What We Waste
We 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.

23. 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.

24. Sources
[1] TheNaturalStep.org | http://www.thenaturalstep.org/the-system-conditions
[2] GreenBody.net | http://www.greenbody.net/training-studio.php
[3] 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
[4] Cradle to Cradle, William McDonough, 2002.
[5] 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
[6] 350.org | http://www.350.org/en/about/science
[7] Nature.org | http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/
[8] Cannibals with Forks, John Elkington, 1998.
[9] BiomimicryInstitute.org | http://www.biomimicryinstitute.org/
[10] ISO.org |
http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/management_and_leadership_standards/environmental_management.htm
[11] Holmgren.com | http://www.holmgren.com.au/
[12] 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
[13] NewYorkTimes.com | http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/09/magazine/09TOXIC.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1
[14] McDonough.com | http://www.mcdonough.com/principles.pdf
[15] Waterfootprint.org | http://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=cal/WaterFootprintCalculator
[16] Worldometers.info | http://www.worldometers.info/water/

25. Kelly Kokaisel
Design for Community
Fall | 2010