Green man on healthy hobbies

Hobbies that rely on lots of travel (especially if by car or plane) or are based on the internal combustion engine are the easiest to spot as "high emission" pastimes.

Dangerous activities which have a high statistical chance of injury or worse are just as un-green. Hospitalisation involves lots of resource use, as well as disrupting work and family life. Some estimates suggest that every untimely death costs the country at least £1m, in lost productivity, retraining and other disruption, and of course the life of a family member is priceless. So this puts mountaineering and rock climbing into the "unsustainable" category, however much fun and exhilaration they give.

Of course I am not anti-sport or physical activity! There are many enjoyable, co-operative (and competitive) and not-too-dangerous team games or individual pursuits which don't involve motor transport or consumption of finite resources.

My father regularly came home from his work in the hospital with tales of injured sportspeople, and it rather put me off.

Hobbies that conserve resources and add to health must be the greenest. My personal favourites are gardening, specifically growing food plants, and cycling. Cycling is a positive mix of getting from A to B, exercise and sheer enjoyment. For me, cycling is not a sport, apart from once participating in a time trial.

I used to take many photos but gave it up to be greener as it consumed chemicals and gelatine. Now I have a digital camera that is a way to take pictures using fewer resources. The bad shots can be deleted, and you need never print anything.

Volunteering to help others or the environment is socially responsible and green. Charity shops and being a companion all come to mind as worthwhile.