Do you ever feel hopeless when it comes to caring for our earth? Or that nothing you do to be more eco-friendly will ever be enough? While yes, it’s undeniable that the planet is suffering - the good news is that the increase in awareness is encouraging more and more people to be conscious of their relationship with the Earth.

Feeling anxious about the state of our environment is normal, and valid. There’s plenty of evidence that change needs to occur for a healthier planet. However, we want to challenge the narrative that you can do nothing about it. In fact, you are probably doing a lot better than you think.

Here are 7 signs you’re doing better than you think when it comes to doing your part to care for our earth:

1. You thrift shop.

 Studies show that thrift shopping can help clothing from filling landfills, and reduce demand for fast fashion. 

2. You use a refillable bottle. 

It’s no secret that too much plastic ends up in our oceans, and using a reusable bottle can reduce the need to buy more plastic. 

3. You go to the farmer’s market.

 Your weekend farmer’s market tradition supports local farmers and reduces demand for imported food, lowering carbon emissions. 

4. You go on walks.

Not only is walking super healthy for our physical and mental health but opting to walk more lessens the need to use gasoline. Added bonus: it’s an easy way to get into nature more. 

5. You’re conscious of your car usage.

 Same with waking more, opting to use a ride-share service, carpool, or aiming to get the majority of your errands done in one trip greatly reduces gasoline consumption.   

6. You opt into remote work. 

Whether it’s fully remote or hybrid, did you know that taking advantage of remote-working options is good for the planet? Reducing your commute by one day reduces air pollution created by driving. 

7. You have a plant-based meal every now and then.

 Eating plant-based on a weekly basis is healthy for our bodies and our planet.  One meatless day a week can reduce your carbon footprint by eight pounds. Bonus points if you use organic produce since organic farming uses less pesticides, pollution, and soil erosion. 

Even if you don’t do these seven eco-friendly things, implementing a few can help our planet and boost your mental health at the same time.

There’s a lot of good research supporting the role nature can play in protecting and supporting our mental health.  For many of us though, 'being in nature’ either doesn’t seem like something we’d typically do.  You don’t have to go on an hour-long hike to experience the mental health benefits of connecting to nature – there are many simple and unexpected ways to bring nature into your everyday life. Some ideas to get you started:

• Morning walks or runs
• Drawing or journaling in a park
• Trying something outside your comfort zone like growing or picking food

We can use Earth Day as a reminder to celebrate all of the amazing things that the earth brings us, instead of feeling doomed over the state of our environment. Think of sunrises, road trips, or just feeling the sun on your face when you step outside. These moments serve as gentle reminders that not all hope is lost on our planet. 

All our love,

ITO