Environmentally Friendly Jogging Strollers
Your jogging stroller might be sleek, fast, and steer well, but was it made in a manufacturing ecosystem that supports the health of the environment and its people? Sure, by taking to the streets in a jogging stroller rather than a car, you are already helping curb one of the main contributors to greenhouse gas emissions - consumer use of cars. However, industry accounts for 22 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and also comes with a long list of ethical considerations, so it’s good to do your research on which companies are working support people and the planet.
My research to find the most eco-friendly jogging stroller unfortunately didn’t take much time. I compared a few trusted lists of the best jogging strollers of 2020, such as this one from BabyGearLab, this one from Runner’s World, and this one from Good Housekeeping and researched the companies that created the strollers. Only two companies came out with having any sort of sustainability program: Thule and Bumbleride.
Rather than keep you waiting, here are the best jogging strollers based on a) performance reviews and b) a review of the companies’ posted sustainability policies. Read on below to hear more about Thule and Bumbleride’s dedication to sustainability.
Before you head out to purchase a new jogging stroller, consider purchasing a gently used stroller. High-quality jogging strollers are built to last and can have a short lifetime within a family. Sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist can be a great resource for quality used gear.
Thule Urban Glide 2 Thule’s jogging strollers are consistently rated amongst the top performing. Thankfully, Thule has a deep and ambitious sustainability plan and provide thorough reporting of their progress.
Here are two more Thule strollers that runners seem to love: Thule Chariot Cross and the Thule Chariot Cross Double, which is perfect for two children.
Bumbleride Speed - Bumbleride is a company that was built on the foundation of sustainability. This stroller was rated pretty high on BabyGearList and has sustainability practices that you can trust. Anecdotally, my friend Alissa loves hers!
Thule’s dedication to sustainability
Thule has a 98% rating from CSR hub, which is very high. You can read Thule’s about 2019 sustainability initiatives starting on page 32 of this report or on their website, but here are some highlights:
Clean water and sanitation. Thule’s commitment to reduce water consumption, include replacing drinking water with rain water and closed water systems that minimize the discharge of hazardous chemicals and substances.
Affordable and clean energy. Their target is for 100% of the electricity used at our plants to originate from renewable sources by no later than 2020 (they were at 94% as of the 2019 report) and for more than 75% of all the energy used at our plants to originate from renewable sources by no later than 2025 (they were at 65% as of the 2019 report).
Responsible consumption and production. Thule is working to achieve a recycling rate of more than 98% and to ensure that 0% goes to landfills by no later than 2030. They are also working to increase the use of recycled materials in their products, and to use more eco-friendly packaging.
Climate action. They are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at their plants by 65% (compared with the base year of 2014), by no later than 2020 (they were at 68% as of the 2019 report).
Gender equality and Reduced inequalities. Thule conducts continuous assessments of their employees’ remuneration to ensure an equitable pay structure.
Decent work and economic growth. Thule Group strives to protect workers’ rights and to counteract modern slavery, human trafficking and child labor by conducting CSR audits of suppliers, providing courses on human rights to employees, and by continuously evaluating the equitability of pay structures.
Bumbleride’s dedication to sustainability
Bumbleride does not have a CSR hub rating. You can read about their dedication to sustainability on their website, and here are some highlights:
Conscious suppliers. They seek out suppliers that are innovating to save energy, conserve water and reduce pollution in landfills.
Non-toxic fabrics. All of their fabrics are OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Class I certified free from harmful chemicals, free from Fire Retardants (except in UK where required by law), Lead, Phthalates, BPA, Polyurethane Foam (excluding Travel Bags for form), PVC, Vinyl, Formaldehyde, Chlorine, PFCs & PFASs (PFOA/PFOS) and many more harmful chemicals.
Recycled fabrics. Bumbleride fabrics are made from 100 percent recycled PET (post-consumer plastic water bottles, polyethylene terephthalate, RPET). They have upcycled over 1 million bottles into their fabrics since 2011.
Small factories. They chose to work with a family-run, small batch factory in Taiwan. Their factory uses more than 50 local businesses as sub-contractors, who not only support the local economy, but allow for tight and close control on quality and efficiency.
Jogging strollers are generally built to last, which offers the opportunity to make an all around sustainable decision. To increase the sustainability of your jogging stroller purchase: buy consciously, use your stroller for a long time, and then pass on to another mom when you no longer need it.
