Make Earth Day and Every Day Really Matter!
As today is Earth Day, I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to share some positive ways to impact our Earth and body at the same time. Consider the sedentary lifestyles many people are living each day. If we move as we were designed to move, we are able to not only improve our health, but also improve our planet.
Think about how you decide to move today on Earth Day and every day. How could positively impact our ecosystem along with our own body systems? Rather than spending time walking on your treadmill, why not simply swap your treadmill workout for a walk through your neighborhood, park, or local nature center to pick up garbage; this not only works out your body for your own benefit, but you’re putting your body to good use for the planet. You'll be getting fresh air, sunlight for needed vitamin D3 to boost your immune system and strengthen your bones and muscles, bending down to retrieve trash, and increasing your flexibility and blood flow. It’s about reclaiming your body movements and putting them to good use for our planet!
Rather than using electricity or gas to fuel your clothes dryer, why not go outside and stretch your shoulders, work your back muscles, and hang your laundry out to dry?
Walk whenever possible! Walking is wonderful for your physical and mental health, your budget, AND environmentally friendlier than driving. You don’t need a lot of special equipment, just a comfortable pair of shoes and you’re ready to go! Ever thought about walking to work? If you live close, walking is a great driving alternative that will save money on commuting costs and keep you healthy and happy at the same time. I'm a Kindergarten teacher and I walk to school each day and reap the many benefits from this daily ritual. It saves money on fuel, wear and tear on the car, parking fees, it's good exercise, fresh air and sunlight, doing our bit to save the world, and it's free! Do you have children in school? Why not get the entire family involved! Walking benefits everyone, especially growing children. If your family lives close enough, walking to school improves children’s health and helps combat a host of health problems that kids are facing today, including childhood obesity. When replacing car trips to school with walking or bicycling, we help reduce air pollution and build a closer community. With all of this walking, people will notice in our communities and learn by example. They may follow our lead!
Walking home from school with my granddaughter, Claire!
Foraging is another wonderful way to move your body to promote health and wellness, along with helping to protect the Earth. Walk, crawl, and climb in nature to retrieve edible food provided for us from God without needing to purchase food that has been shipped from great distances, been genetically modified, or sprayed with toxic fertilizers or pesticides. Learn about the wild edible food in your area from local experts to help you identify plants correctly before harvesting in the wild or purchase books and learn about this wonderful way to connect with nature safely.
Foraging for Milkweed Pods
Rather than spending time mowing your lawn and adding chemicals to promote a weed-free yard, think about spending time outside planting dandelions. Yes, dandelions are incredibly nutrient-rich as are many of the plants we believe to be considered invasive plants and undesirable. So many benefits to having dandelions in one’s yard! They even help to aerate the soil and make nutrients more available for other plants. Think about planting an edible yard with purslane, lamb’s quarters, different herbs, and more to create an edible yard. We started our edible yard a few years ago and enjoy being able to go outside each day to harvest dandelions, clover, herbs, and many other edible plants that are growing in our yard which are slowly taking over the grass that was once there. It’s a wonderful way to take back your yard and your life by creating an edible haven that is beautiful, highly nutritious, valuable to you and the wildlife that live in your area, as well as protecting the Earth from so many dangerous chemicals. If this doesn’t interest you, why not grow your own garden? It’s a good way to nurture your relationship with Mother Earth, promoting movement each day while you care for the new edible life you have planted. If there's no room for a garden where you live, try a communal Patch or Community Garden where you can garden along with your neighbors. Bees are an integral part of our ecosystem. Sadly, one bee is now officially on the endangered list: The rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis), once a common sight, is now on the brink of extinction, according to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. The bee’s population has plummeted nearly 90 percent. There are a few things we can do: While you’re planting your own garden, plant bee-friendly flowers, fruit, and herbs. Dandelions provide one of Nature’s first foods for bee populations. Keep those wonderful golden gems flourishing in your yard! Remember to grow organically without chemicals. Here are a few ideas that will attract more bees and beneficial insects:
Fruit: apples, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, strawberries
Herbs: basil, bee balm, dill, lavender, oregano, rosemary, thyme
Wildflowers: coneflower, giant sunflower, milkweed, purple prairie clover
Perhaps even start an Insectary Garden designed to attract, provide shelter, food, and harbor beneficial insects all necessary for a healthy planet! By nurturing this insect ecology, you’ll be allowing the natural food chain of life to thrive in your garden.
Try to think about not doing the typical once a day workout, but rather, ongoing natural movement that our beautiful bodies were designed to do by God. By moving naturally throughout the day, tending to our land; our bodies and our Earth all benefit! We’ll live on a healthy planet in healthy bodies! Make Every Day Matter!
We'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas about this topic. We are all works in progress and learn from each other! Thank you SO much for stopping by our website!
Peace and Grace!💖
Suz
