Last 22nd of April was the Earth Day, so here is a little post to honour and take care of our lovely planet while caring for our minds/bodies at the same time!
The environment definitely needs our help to heal up from decades of abuse by our side. The so-called industrial revolution brought lots of progress and tech improvements, but also many risks for our dear Earth.
Good news though! The current Coronavirus lockdown has showed us how resilient our planet is and how quickly it can recover, if only we help a little! Why not using this break to adapt and change routines when we come back to “normal life”??
People are now more conscious about the need to be more environmentally friendly, and fighting climate change is becoming a priority for citizens and Governments alike.
The path is long but the cause is urgent. We all can do our bit and, since this blog is mainly about health and wellbeing, I wanted to share five things you can do to both promote a healthier planet and a healthier you at the same time. Win-win!
Walk and cycle more – Avoiding private and public transport had done wonders for the environment over the past weeks. Opting to cycle or walk as our preferred way of transportation is something that not only will benefit the planet, but also help our bodies to stay fit and our lungs to breathe cleaner air. Fewer fumes, more exercise… Not to mention the positive effects that walking and spending time outdoors have for our (otherwise) busy minds! I’m a big fan of walking, so I encourage you to do it more, either in the company of your loved ones, or alone with your favourite podcast/music 😉
Cut down on meat – Yes, eating less meat is proving to be healthier for you, and the environment. Animal farming takes up so much of our planet’s resources if compared to plant-based food… In fact, livestock provides just 18% of population’s calories but takes up 83% of farmland, horrible ROI, right? Not to panic, though! Cutting down doesn’t mean stopping. You still can enjoy a juicy hamburger or crispy chicken wings, cutting down just means reducing the quantity you consume. Introducing some meat free days is a good way to start, why not trying Meat Free Mondays?
Grow a (mini) garden – There are a number of benefits to giving gardening a go. Aside from being very relaxing to the mind and fulfilling to the soul to see your little seeds flourish, outdoor flowers do wonders for wildlife (such as birds, bees, butterflies…) if you grow pollinator plants. Another good option is to start with herbs and spices, some easy ones are coriander, parsley, mint or basil. Make a start – improve the taste of your meals and the nutrients in your body, 2×1!
Spend more time in nature – The lockdown has reminded us of what really matters in life. Our consumerist society had to stop drastically, with most shops closing down except for the essential ones. Spending more of our leisure time in nature instead of inside shopping centres, will cleanse our minds and activate our bodies, the benefits of spending time in nature are numerous! Plus, cutting down on materialistic leisure, will also have a positive impact on our planet – less demand means less waste, companies will just adapt to greener ways of doing businesses.
Money talks, so invest wisely – This last point kind of applies to all the ones mentioned above. Money talks, which means that we have the power (with our hard-earned money) to invest on the businesses, routines and activities that will lead to the world you want to see in the future. For example, if you eat meat say 4 days a week instead of 6, this will lead to a decrease in meat-led revenue for supermarkets, which means that the demand will drop, and the one farmer might end up having 40 cows instead of 60. Now, 20 cows less in that farm means a 30% reduction in methane, well that is something! Likewise, spending in local groceries will reduce transport and promote business within your community, win-win!
If you are interested in helping the environment, here are more ideas you can follow. I hope you get inspired!
Wellbeing Lifelong 