The environment is only half of what sustainability really is. Sustainability is marketed as an action that you do towards the environment. While it is easy to understand, it forgets the key player in this cycle.
There is a need to make drastic changes on how we care about the environment, thus the policies governing the environment. Sustainability is Human, Social, Environmental and Economic. The human factor in sustainability includes the care for the health of the human body. We need to further understand this before moving on to other pillars.
Human Sustainability
How else can you take care of the environment when you are not conscious of what you put in your body? The protection of the environment is a part of human health care. It is a push and pull process, so to speak. When we patronize packaged goods or foods that are grown with the help of pesticides, that means you are harming your body and you encourage the harm of the environment because of the pesticides.
To help in overall sustainability, humans need to make drastic changes on themselves before anything else. Here are some steps you can take to ease your way into a sustainable being.
- We know exercise is a key factor in keeping a healthy body but neglect it just the same. When we exercise, there are biological things that happen to our body. For one, it removes toxins, keeps blood and oxygen flowing, muscles working, etc. Without exercise, the organs that need the stimulation deteriorate.
- Healthy Snacking. Do not underestimate the power of snacking. A candy bar or two; Cheetos once in a while; cheesecake with coffee during break, these are all the temptations that make human sustainability a sham. Start by identifying a healthy snacks list. Good healthy snacks in essence, are healthy homemade snacks. Contrary to popular belief, snacks aren’t just sweets. They can be a combination of farm produce such as fruits, vegetables, and ethically manufactured snack favorites such as snack bars. For so long, we have been combating problems on diabetes, unstable blood pressure, sugar dependence and so on. Good healthy snacks can just be the key to solving this.
- Eat less meat. Most of us are meat lovers and rarely eat vegetables and fruits, so this step takes a lot of commitment. What we need to understand about meat is that it undergoes through processes that requires a lot of energy. It uses fossil fuels, gallons of water, animal feed, grazing land, and a lot more. If the demand for meat dwindles even for a bit, think about the energy and resources we save.
- Go zero waste. Going zero waste is almost impossible especially when you’re used to seeing single-use plastic at home, groceries, malls. You don’t want to add to that. When you start eating right, fill up kids’ tummies with good healthy snacks, such as fresh fruits and vegetables from your local farmer, you reduce the waste you need to throw away because you can actually use the peelings as organic fertilizers for any kind of plant.
Commitment to Sustainability
The desert in the Middle East might not be the best picture of a thriving planet but it has its own role in sustainability just as we humans have a responsibility to it. The only way to create a big impact on sustainability efforts is to ensure that implementers understand the whole cycle—that it starts with being a healthy promoter and enactor.
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