Earth Day 2016

Friday 22nd April 2016

Today marks Earth Day! Our planet is under constant pressure from the work of Humans. Nature is an eternal give and take, but sometimes we forget to give back to our planet!

Here are just a few ways we can help our planet on a day-to-day basis:

Recycle – recycling helps us to use less products from the Earth and create less waste. Recycling cans, plastics, paper and food is a fantastic way to make a start. Even reusing a bottle for your water can make a great impact!
Eating veggie for one day a week! Many people are now turning to a vegetarian or vegan diet and lifestyle. If we can eat for just one day a week, a completely vegetarian meal, we can help to give back to our environment. Livestock drink gallons of water per animal, whereas it takes much less to water crops. We can help to slow down deforestation and poisoning of the Earth – a single farm can generate as much waste as a city! Stop the spoiling of oceans – vast quantities of excess nutrients from animal waste, factory farms, sewage, nitrogen compounds and fertiliser are swept down rivers. This causes ‘algal blooms’ which take up all the oxygen in the water to the point where little can live. Make us healthier – millions of pounds of antibiotics is added to animal feed a year to speed the growth of cattle. But this contributes to the rise of resistant bacteria, and so makes it harder to treat human illnesses.Well-planned plant-based diets are rich in protein, iron, calcium and other essential vitamins and minerals. The plant-based sources of these nutrients tend to be low in saturated fat, high in fibre and packed with antioxidants, helping mitigate some of the modern world’s biggest health issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Walk, cycle or take public transport. Walking not only increases heart rate and gets our blood flowing, giving us a bit of exercise, it is also known to improve mood! Public transport is a great way to help cut emissions and get more cars off the road. Cycling is a fantastic way to start your day, getting in some exercise, improving balance, thinking skills, awareness and brain power. It is also known to give you a better night’s sleep! Most importantly, helps to cut down pollution.
Carry a bag for life. In 2014, British shoppers used 8.5 billion single-use carrier bags, which used up huge amounts of energy and materials in their production and transport. Many of these bags also became litter, or ended up in landfill sites, where they take centuries to break down. Reusing a bag a few times, or buying a sturdier one which will last longer, is a great way to cut down on unnecessary waste.
Buy second hand – Stop being a sheep-like slave to capitalism and look to eBay, charity shops and secondhand stores when you need to buy something. According to a 2009 report, if more people did this we could reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by ‘an average 4 million tonnes of CO2 per year between now and 2020.’ And plus, you normally find a bargain!