How Can We Help Reduce Our Environmental Impact?

Earth Day should be every day of the year. The day stems from the revolutionary decade of the 1970s. American students and citizens protested against oil spills, toxic dumps, power plants, pesticides, the loss of wilderness, and the loss of wildlife. In the 1990s, Earth Day went global.

Today, the goal of a more sustainable and healthy environment continues.

According to National Geographic, sea levels have risen an average of 0.13 inches or 3.2 millimeters every year over the last 20 years. In 2017, we experienced the 5th most active hurricane season on record. The average global temperature continues on a steady climb upward.

It is hard to argue that our activities on this planet have not played a part in these dramatic climate changes.

Earth Day serves as a time to appreciate our planet, symbolizing the fight for environmental sustainability. Sustainability is avoiding the reduction in our natural resources and finding an ecological balance in which the human race and nature can continue to thrive.

Environmental Trends are Here to Stay

Solar and electric powered trends are taking over the market. There is a growing appreciation for recycling and composting efforts. Worldwide, we aim to reduce our footprint and stretch our resources in a push to survive and maintain the planet for the next generation.

This planet is our home and this great earth provides us with life. It is not something we should take for granted, at least not anymore.What can you do to help reduce your impact? How, as individuals, can we make this a world better place?

A healthy lifestyle and eco-sustainability go hand in hand. If you are looking for fitness inspiration, living a life conscious of the impact you have encourages physical activity and a healthy diet. Let’s take a closer look!

Fitness for a Sustainable Environment

We already know the benefits physical activity has to offer us. It boasts good health and makes us feel happy. It also provides sustainable modes of transportation and methods to reduce your carbon footprint.

Find your fitness inspiration via saving the planet one small action at a time. Here’s how you can alter your fitness routine to do your part and promote a healthy environment:

Grab a reusable water bottle for your workouts

Say goodbye to plastic water bottles. Surprisingly, plastic takes over 400 years to decompose. It’s not good for our environment or our planet. Buy a good water bottle you can reuse and quit throwing more plastic into our landfills.

If you must use a plastic water bottle in any case, make sure to recycle it. At least this way, it can be reused and won’t sit in a landfill for hundreds of years to come.

Cycle instead of drive

Driving takes a huge toll on the environment. Cycling as a way to commute in and around town reduces your use of gasoline and diesel fuel. These fuels cause vast amounts of air pollution worldwide. Luckily, many major cities are becoming more and more biker friendly.

Many cities have installed bike lanes, making it safer for those that choose to cycle to and from work. Cycling is a small change to make, but one that can have huge effects. Further, you can get your workout in via your commutes. You’ll be healthier and reduce your carbon footprint, all in one go.

Walk more

Get those recommended 10,000 steps in per day. If you can walk somewhere in 30 minutes or less, do it. Leave the car in the garage. Get some exercise and enjoy this great place we call home. Your mental health will further benefit from the outdoors, so you really have nothing to lose.

Go paperless with your workouts

To record progress, use one of the many fitness phone apps that exist out there. These apps can, also, provide fitness inspiration and reduce your paper use. Save a tree. Go paperless. Make progress.

Create a Diet that Reduces Your Environmental Impact

It turns out that what is better for our environment is better for our bodies as well. The world has a funny way of balancing things out. There are many dietary adjustments you can make to reduce your environmental impact. Here are some easy changes you can make, starting today:

Decrease your meat consumption

Reducing how much meat you eat can save on water. How? A huge portion of our water supply goes toward dairy and animal products. We need fresh water to survive as do many animal and fish species. However, a very small percentage of the total water in the world is drinkable. Conserve water as much as you can.

Eat more beans and lentils for protein. Beans have next to no impact on your carbon footprint. They are also loaded with fiber and low in fat. It’s no surprise that health professionals have boasted about these legumes for years. Start including them in your regular diet. Throw them in a salad or your next stew.

Go organic

Organic fruits and veggies are free of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Eating or growing organic foods prevents soil contamination and preserves the biodiversity and wildlife around it.

Eat locally

Since eating local means less transportation, supporting local farms or businesses can help significantly reduce your environmental impact. Also, most organic food is produced locally. It’s a 2-for-1 deal. Eat local, organic food and reduce your impact.

Choose pasture-raised eggs over conventional eggs

Pasture-raised eggs are an eco-friendly source of protein. The chickens these eggs come from aren’t cooped up in cages all day and actually roam free in pastures. If you must eat eggs for breakfast every day, try to find pasture-raised ones.

If you cannot imagine giving up meat or dairy entirely, choose grass-fed beef or dairy. Grass-fed cows have a reduced environmental impact compared to their counterparts. It is also healthier for the animals and for us.

Choose reusable bottles and packaging

As aforementioned, lose the bottled water.

Avoid processed and packaged foods, which are low in nutrients, and their packages are often not biodegradable. The environment and your body are not benefiting from these foods. Sure, they taste good, but you can find other ways to satisfy your palate. There’s an abundance of options available! Find new recipes online or discover a new fruit or veggie.

Consider Expiration Dates

Expiration dates indicate when the foods are best before. These dates are set based on food quality, not safety. You do not necessarily need to throw away something if it is expired. Further, you can extend the shelf life by freezing food items or throwing them in the fridge. For example, extend the shelf life of bread products by keeping it in the freezer instead of out on the counter.

Eat leftovers!

Don’t throw these away. Take them for lunch or put them into your next meal.

Other Ways you can Reduce Your Impact

Let's work together to save the planet!

Keep track of your trash

Focus on reducing this amount.

Reduce, reuse, and recycle

Simple, easy, and efficient.

Start composting

Composting is a great way to decompose leftover fruit or vegetable parts. It can provide nutrients for the soil, making your garden flourish!

Go paperless in more ways than one

We live in an era where we can store info online. Stores email receipts now. You can get your bills online. You can write down your to-do lists in a Google Keep note. Paper is on the way out, and for a good reason. We don’t need an excuse to cut down any more trees. Protect our forests and forego paper.

Use rechargeable batteries

Avoid using disposable one-time use batteries. Batteries and chargers keep getting better and better. Rechargeable batteries might cost slightly more, but you will be able to reuse them again and again.

Use only the water you need

Don’t leave taps running. Avoid long showers. We don’t have very much fresh water in this world, and every year it becomes less and less. Conserve water. It is a finite resource and one we need to survive.

Turn off the lights when your not in a room

Take this a step further and participate in Earth Hour every year. The lights go off for one hour. Disconnect and reconnect with nature or friends and family.

Conclusion

Make a change this Earth Day. Find healthy lifestyle changes that benefit you and the planet. Search for new fitness inspiration or come up with new diet plans. It’s a win-win. You will be taking care of your body and your environment!