Healthy Body: Exercise the Environment

First Blog of 2008, let's hope it changes the world.
So the other day I was sitting at my local BART station waiting for a friend. After talking with my friend Sara I notice this gentleman rushing into the station's courtyard. He's dressed in some tight bicycle shorts and a tank top,,, honestly he looked a little silly for just being out and about, but not too silly for the gym. I watched him as he rushed through the courtyard. I figured he was in a rush to make his train, but then noticed he was picking up a good handful of trash on his way to the terminal. Then I noticed he kept rushing and picking up more armfuls of trash and smashed them into the trash can. He continued this for almost 10 minutes, speeding from loose wrapper to trash can; squatting and sprinting every chance he got. Then he just ran off when the place was completely clean! Totally rad.
So I didn't get to talk to the gentleman or discuss what he was actually doing, but I have a hypothesis and I plan on making it a new part of my everyday workout.
So I don't go to gyms, in fact I believe in the use of gyms less and less all the time. What happens at the gym?,,, able bodied humans go there to tone their bodies, get in shape, be healthy, and/or build their muscles. And what is the gain? A healthy body, ripped pectorals or an increased self esteem. Seems pretty vain, seems like a waste, and I'm not really into it. What I got from this quick gentleman in bicycle shorts was the idea that getting a workout and cleaning up the environment was not only possible but free and rather un-vain (considering the way he was dressed).
Basically this man ran or jogged to the BART station (perhaps 15 minutes away from where he lives), this would have raised his heart rate long enough to benefit from an aerobic workout. Once he was at the BART station he kept his speed up (keeping his heart rate up), and started squatting and sprinting from wrapper to wrapper. He would also smash his arm-loads of trash into the waste baskets. Then he ran off either to go home or to another destination for another clean up/workout! Understandably, this isn't a solution if you desire huge muscles, you could only achieve this from intense weight training. But if large muscles are what you want I would suggest you stop the gym and get a labor intensive job like construction, moving crew or landscaping. I hate seeing some dude from Google with big 'ol arms,,, so fake so vain.
So man in bicycle shorts, you are a genius and I salute you. I wish there were more of you out there. I'm working on it.
Don't join a gym for your New Year's resolution, do something good for your body and the environment instead. Adjust your lifestyle and help the planet we live in, doesn't get much better than that. Happy New Year.