This is the question posed recently by Dr. Daniel Friedman (Dean of the College of Built Environments @ UW) at a conversation in Seattle's Town Hall. He was presenting on the the topic of sustainability and pushing the public toward a more sustainable future by encouraging behavior changes. So, can we correlate environmental and widespread health problems in western society to our unwillingness to accept human traits such as sweating in public? As we progress toward creating a world that can sustain a healthy increase in population, these are interesting questions to ponder. Now, some cultures and areas of the country/world can get away with a short bike ride that is flat and can be accomplished without excessive sweating, but in the hilly cities of the PNW, this is rarely an option.
The status quo in our society is that sweating is acceptable in the gym, on the trail, or during a run through town, but not in the office or meeting environment. As I sit writing this on the UW campus, I am reminded that the university setting may be one of the few were you would not be ostracized for showing up to a professional engagement with a fresh sweat on your brow.
I do try to walk or bike whenever possible, and plan trips accordingly to avoid using the car, but unless there is a shower and a fresh change of clothes, I am choosy about when I make these decisions.
So...what if we as a society were more open to sweaty individuals? Would you ride your bike or walk more often? To the store, work, school, a social occasion? Would this change in behavior create a healthier population and a cleaner environment? I look forward to your comments!
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