Exercise is healthy for your body, but is your workout healthy for the environment? If you're leaving behind a bunch of plastic water bottles, worn-out spandex or polyester clothing, or dead batteries in your wake, then it's time to start thinking green. Start from the ground up by taking a look at your shoes. Most footwear companies have stopped using PVCs, which have been shown to cause a multitude of health and environmental problems, including not being biodegradable.

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Look for sneakers that use rubber or other natural materials, or even better, use recycled natural materials. Look for socks and other apparel made from organic cotton, hemp, bamboo or recycled fibers - these materials are usually grown in a sustainable manner. Labels to look for are Patagonia, Gaiam and others.

If you like yoga or other mat exercises, then you might be surprised to know that most mats are made of PVC, as are many exercise balls. Gaiam and Barefoot Yoga are two companies that offer alternative materials, like jute and rubber.

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If you use an old-school Walkman or boom box that requires batteries, then look for rechargeable batteries. They may seem expensive until you realize how infrequently they need to be changed compared with disposable batteries. It's definitely important to stay hydrated during your workout, but the plastic bottles that water comes in take up major landfill space. In California alone, nearly 3 million bottles end up in the trash daily. Invest in a stylish, reusable water bottle and refill to save money and landfill space.