Yesterday I was blogging about green athletes and I realized there were way more than I knew about, so this turned into a two-part blog.
Competitive swimmer Natalie Coughlin needs minerals and vitamins to give her energy, especially during the Olympics. How does she get it? By having her own chickens lay fresh eggs and growing vegetables in her own garden.
It’s not only Olympic athletes who try to live green though. NFL linebacker Will Witherspoon, an animal lover, raises Animal Welfare Approved grass-fed cattle. He spoke before Congress against the practice of feeding farm animals antibiotics.
NFL fullback Ovie Mughelli takes care of his body by working out – and eating organic food. He even recommends organic chili for tailgating. His Ovie Mughelli Foundation helps educate youth about environmental issues. He’s also been involved with sports leaders and the Environmental Protection Agency to come up with ways to reduce waste and conserve energy at professional sporting events.
Kelly Slater is a nine-time world surfing champion. When the ocean is your office, you naturally want to take care of it. Slater did a PSA for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about how pollution not only harms the oceans, but also the surfers in it.
Surfers Rob Machado and Greg Long also donate their time for ocean issues. Machado founded the Rob Machado Foundation, which supports Southern California environmental programs. Long supports the Surfrider and Save the Waves programs. Both of these organizations are devoted to the protection of the world’s oceans, waves, and beaches.
But, it’s not just those that work in the water that are out to save it. Racecar driver Leilani Munter is a biology graduate who understands the importance of conserving the oceans. She also supports sustainable biofuels and feels the racing industry should switch to a cleaner fuel for the cars. She advertises green issues on her car (including The Cove, a documentary about dolphin slaughter in Japan) and encourages all racing fans to switch to LED light bulbs.