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Credit: NASA/JPL
(THE VERSION) Many people think of New Years resolutions and brainstorm ways to improve for the next year. What if we extended those resolutions to include resolutions that are beneficial to our communities, society, and the planet?
This might not be a common approach, but it can open up your horizons and show you how you can be of assistance to others.
Here are fourPopular New Years ResolutionsWith a twist to improve your relationship with nature in 2022, and beyond.
Pay more attention to how your actions affect the environment
Each of us have an Environmental ethic reflecting how we value, manage and ultimately relate to nature. This relationship can be improved in many ways by balancing the scales between us and nature on how much we give or take. It doesn’t matter if we are addicted to it. One-use plastics that pile up in landfills or fossil fuels that warm the planet, a mishandled relationship with nature is not doing us or the Earth any favors.
We can all take greater responsibility for how we contribute to environmental problems in 2022. We can also encourage governments, businesses, and other organizations to make it easier to protect the environment for people with different socioeconomic backgrounds. This includes making it affordable for recycled goods and making reliable public transportation available.
Check out the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Resources describing some very simple ways to reduce waste at home, work, in our communities and during the holidays. You can save energy by turning off or disengaging lights during the day, recycling packaging materials, and using online billing services to bill your bills.
You can also lose the burden of social injustice that harms nature.
Multiple aspects of society are affected by social injustice. Inequality or racism can lead you to health disparitiesThey also have Consequences for the natural world.
A Recent study described how practices such as redlining and residential segregation led to unequal access to nature, excess pollution and biodiversity loss. These practices Bringing in highways and industries that harm environmental quality in marginalized communities. They also left communities without enough parks. Cooling trees in summer and benefit the planet.
Perpetuating social ills such as systemic racism and Inequitable resource allocation is detrimental to the environment, marginalized people and society as a whole.
You can help turn this around by speaking out in your local community. Join groups that promote environmental protection and social justice, and bring nature back to your community. To urge Congress to act, call your local, state and federal leaders. Also, see the Green 2.0 reportThis section focuses on making diversity initiatives successful. It provides concrete ways you can implement this at work.
Learn about nature and how you can reduce harm to the environment.
Although essential for our survival, clean air, water and soil are vital, research shows that many people lack them. Environmental and health literacy to know how to protect themselves.
Get to know your environmental impact in 2022. Learn more and begin to explore ways to preserve the integrity your area’s natural resources. Find out how you can keep up to date with local land-use decisions that affect the environment and your community.
Local educators can be supported and encouraged to incorporate the environment into their lessons. There are many subjects that relate to environmental issues, including history and medicine. This website includes a framework and materials for educators to help students expand their environmental literacy.
Stay connected Media that discuss the latest research can enhance awareness. You might also want to incorporate environmental facts and knowledge into team-building activities and game nights.
Spend more time outdoors with your family and friends
Studies have shown that spending time in nature, even urban green spaces, can improve your relationships with nature and others.
The beauty of nature can make time go faster social cohesion. Many people discovered that the outdoors was a good place to relax and reduce stress in the wake of the pandemic. Spending more time outdoors can promote social interactions that are good for your health. buffer emotional distress and encourage use of these spaces, which can help protect them for the future.
Here are some examples Some tools that outline best practices to enhance parks and recreation near you. These are also ways to make your park and recreation area more attractive. outdoor environments more inclusive for families in diverse communities.
Collectively, we can be better stewards for the planet by thinking about our relationship to nature and finding ways that we can protect it.
This article was republished by The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. The original article can be found here.https://theconversation.com/4-new-years-resolutions-for-a-healthier-environment-in-2022-172277.
