Let's start with the obvious - the exercise bike. Does it generate electricity when you pedal? No, it does not. Your grandma's bike probably had a little dynamo-powered light, making good use of the energy spent pedalling. As for the modern gym bike, it recycles none of this energy. Perhaps it is not as big a waste of energy as driving to the gym in your car, but it is a waste nonetheless. If you believe in recycling your water bottles, you should believe in recycling your cycling.

Then, there are the treadmills and stair climbers. Do they generate their own power? Nope. Even worse, you need to plug them into the wall because they actually use power.

People pat themselves on the back for recycling their newspapers, but then they drive their wasteful SUVs/cars/hybrids to the gym. The gym itself has to be heated or air conditioned, just so they can waste their energy on a device that itself wastes energy. That is often followed by buying a water bottle that has to be trucked in and refrigerated - wasting more fuel. The bottle is then thrown into the recycling bin, which has to be trucked out, wasting even more fuel. And driving back home? Naturally, more wasted energy there too.

What is the alternative? Be creative, plant some trees, go for a walk, offer to help someone move, do some sit-ups - almost anything is probably more environmentally-friendly than going to the gym.

If you must go, at least take the subway. But instead of grabbing a free Metro and killing a tree along the way, try downloading the news on your organizer. You can read with one hand and the screens are bright and clear.

If you must pick up a newspaper, try not to put it into the so-called recycling bin when you are done. This guarantees that no one else can read it after you. If you leave it on a seat, someone is almost guaranteed to pick it up after you - which means it's reused. That is much more environmentally-friendly than if they had to get a new one.

Recycling wastes energy. Reusing is free, convenient and good for the earth. The recycling box is just a way for the newspapers to increase their distribution numbers to attract advertisers. If you want to help Metro make more money, then just grab a stack and throw them into the recycling bin - they would love you for it.

In the summer, why not ride your bike to the gym instead of driving? I hear it is good exercise. Depending on the distance, you might not even have to go inside once you get there. Just cycle back, and you will already have had your workout. Think of the time you will save. And buy one of those generators to strap onto your bike and at least recharge your iPod while you are at it. Or get a job: Walk around canvassing for Greenpeace.

You could buy a hand-crank charger for your cell phone or laptop. If you want a conversation piece, look no further. You'll be the centre of attention at the Starbucks. When you explain how green you are while sipping your fair-trade latte, you will be seen as the uber-environmentalist. If you wear your eco-friendly no-logo shoes, you'll be unstoppable.

If you shun attention and prospective mates, you can change into your shorts and bring your hand-cranked charger to the gym, where you will fit in doing repetitive motions with the rest of the patrons. If you are asked what you are doing, deny doing anything useful and you will just blend in. Say it is for your triceps or something. If you are clever, you can surreptitiously attach a generator to your exercise bike while you are "spinning" and charge your camera or cell phone batteries.

All of these are pretty simple tricks. Boycott exercise equipment that needs to be plugged into the wall, drink fresh water from the fountain rather than stagnant plastic-contaminated water from bottles that are made from petroleum. Perhaps do something that requires physical exertion, but is useful with your time rather than driving to the gym. Then maybe we can begin to become a less wasteful society.