Every year on April 22 we celebrate Earth Day and the importance of protecting our environment. Maybe you started recycling or swapped plastic water bottles for a reusable one in the past few years. This year, celebrate Earth Day by improving your health and the Earth. Here are six things you can do:
Bike or Walk Instead of Driving
With warmer weather on the horizon, take the opportunity to enjoy more time outdoors and consider walking or biking instead of driving. Try bike commuting or taking public transportation to work once a week or walking to a nearby restaurant or store instead of always driving. This will cut back on emissions (better for Earth) and help you burn extra calories (better for you).
Plant a Garden
Home grown vegetables taste better. Consider planting a small outdoor garden. You will have access to delicious and healthy vegetables right in your backyard.
Eat Local Produce
Don’t have a green thumb? Visit a Farmer’s Market or make a point to buy local produce available at the grocery store. Food in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to get your plate. This uses a large amount of natural resources and contributes to pollution. Buying local produce (or growing your own) means your food will travel a shorter distance to get to your plate.
Go Meatless on Mondays
Reducing the amount of meat you consume can help lower your risk for preventable diseases like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer. The effect on the environment can be huge. It is estimated that nearly one-fifth of man-made greenhouse gases come from the meat industry and as much as 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water go into a single pound of beef! If a four–person family skips meat one day a week for an entire year, it’s like taking your car off the road for almost three months, according to the Environmental Working Group.
Eat Safe Seafood
Seafood is a great low-calorie, high-protein food source. Many types of seafood are also high in heart healthy omega-3. However, you want to make sure the seafood you’re eating is healthy for you and the environment. Make a point to eat seafood that is low in mercury and doesn’t have environmental problems like overfishing. Visit www.fishwatch.gov to help guide your seafood purchases.
Waste Less Food
Nearly one-third of food production for human consumption is wasted or lost. That is 1.3 billion tons of food wasted every year. Not only are we wasting food, we’re wasting the energy used to produce, grow and transport that food. Help cut back on food waste by freezing leftovers, making more trips to the grocery store and cooking appropriate portions.
