Do you ever stop to think about just how much we rely on our planet for? We need our planet to provide us with food, water, a stable and safe place to live and breathe…so there are many links between your health and the health of our planet. It always surprises me that we’re not treating the place we rely on for so much with more care and respect.
The earth
Everything we grow for food is reliant on the right conditions – healthy soil and the right amount of rainwater. So what happens if the earth isn’t healthy – and the rain stops falling, or too much rain falls? The sad fact is, that the soil we grow our food in is becoming badly contaminated by all the chemicals and pesticides we spray on it. As these chemicals are sprayed randomly over the crops, inevitably, much of it lands on the soil and is absorbed. This is having a hugely detrimental impact on the quality of the earth. Unless we drastically improve our practices, it’s estimated we only have around 50 years left of quality soil to support the food we consume.
The climate
With global warming affecting our weather patterns – making them so much more unpredictable – this also creates a huge headache for our farmers. As the weather we’re used to is changing, the crops we grow will need to change to. This is easier said than done. As things are – Mediterranean countries are being hit particularly hard by the impact of climate change – and the UK relies heavily on this area for much of our fresh produce. With the last couple of years seeing record breaking heatwaves, droughts and floods – the production of our food is being seriously hampered, causing price rises to allow these farmers to stay in business.
The plastic problem
We’ve all now heard about plastic breaking down in to microplastics – and the latest research is finding smaller nanoplastics too. We’re becoming more aware of where we’re finding microplastics. We know it’s in the water system – meaning it’s in our drinking water. We also know it’s found in the air. Did you know we’re all breathing in around 6 grams worth of microplastics every single week? That’s around the weight of a credit card. And perhaps even more frightening is the fact microplastics have been found in our blood – and will ultimately cause blockages in arteries. Reducing the amount of plastic you have in your home at least slightly reduces the concentration of microplastics in the air you breathe while at home.
Consumer power
Knowledge is power as the saying goes. Now you have the information on just how many links between your health and the health of our planet there are – just take a look at where you can help yourself and your family by altering your shopping habits. Making just 1 swap a week – to reduce plastic packaging or away from non organic food where you can – will give you more peace of mind and will send a message to the supermarkets of how our habits are changing.
Looking after the health of our planet should be non negotiable if we want to keep ourselves healthy, now and in the future.