Have you ever thought about how spending time in nature might benefit your life and health? The social determinants of health, such as where we are born, live, work, play, and age, collectively have a considerably higher impact on our health outcomes than the healthcare delivery system, as recognised by many healthcare and public health specialists.
Healthcare services are predicted to account for 10% of our lifespan, whereas social and environmental factors account for 20%, genetics 30%, and individual actions 40%. Our environment and how it shapes our decisions lay the groundwork for our health and wellbeing. Let’s raise awareness on the importance of nature in our lives and the necessity to protect the environment and natural resources in order to maintain global health on this World Nature Conservation Day.
Importance of Nature in Our Lives
What roles do nature and exposure to natural surroundings play in improving our health and wellbeing? We know that spending time in nature makes us feel good but are there any benefits of nature that really affect us? Scroll through to know:
1. Nature fulfils our most basic needs
All of the things we consume – food, water, and air come from nature. More than two-thirds of the tropics’ population or nearly 2.7 billion people directly depend on nature for at least one of their most fundamental needs, according to recent research conducted by Conservation International.
Even in our daily lives, there are many things for which we depend upon nature – without even knowing it. Be it air, minerals, plants, soil, or water – we need these natural resources on a daily basis for our survival. Therefore, their conservation is essential!
2. Nature can help prevent future pandemics
Disease outbreaks are caused by environmental degradation, deforestation, and wildlife trafficking: 70% of newly emerging viral infections have been transferred from animals to people.
Humans are becoming more and more exposed to wild animals and the diseases they may carry, including Ebola and COVID-19, as they expand deeper into tropical forests.
Some experts recently co-authored a report that proposed a ground-breaking strategy to reduce the likelihood of pandemics by at least 27%. How? By realising the importance of nature & protecting it.
The strategy is to prevent deforestation, regulate the international trade of wildlife, and keep an eye out for emerging viruses before they spread. It is essential for nations and businesses to provide incentives for saving forests rather than destroying them in order to help stop the next pandemic. If not, then nature preserves should be promoted and advocated for.
This will help delay climate change and is beneficial for human health and wellbeing.
3. Nature is the world’s “medicine cabinet”
Natural resource conservation helps reduce the spread of infectious diseases. But did you know that diseases can also be treated by nature? Aspirin, penicillin, morphine, and numerous chemotherapeutics are only a few of the modern medications that were developed from plants and fungi.
By conserving our forests, we also preserve “nature’s medicine cabinet,” or the animals and plants that may hold the key to curing diseases like cystic fibrosis and cancer.
Deforestation and widespread biodiversity loss, however, could put stores of natural medicines, including yet-unknown treatments, at danger. Therefore, on this World Conservation Day – we should all strive to conserve our natural resources in every way we can.
4. Nature is good for mental health
A growing body of research shows that the benefits of nature for human health include mood-boosting abilities. At least two hours each week spent outside can reduce stress, fight depression, and boost serotonin levels.
Immersion with nature is also regarded as a form of healing in some cultures. Science supports the medical benefits of this type of “ecotherapy,” with numerous studies showing a correlation between extended exposure to green space and a lower risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.
Simply listening to recordings of nature has been shown in studies to reduce stress and improve cognitive function.
6 Ways to Conserve Natural Resources in Your Home
In your own home, there are several ways to conserve natural resources, including:
1. Use less water
You can use less water in your house by taking shorter showers or turning off the tap while you brush your teeth. Consider switching to energy-saving equipment if at all possible, and only use your dishwasher or washing machine when there is a full load.
2. Turn off the lights
After leaving a room, turn off any lights or televisions. When not in use, unplug devices like toasters, coffeemakers, and portable air conditioners because they might still use little electricity. Aside from that, LED lights use a lot less wattage than regular bulbs, thus moving to this alternate lighting option can also help save energy.
3. Use renewable energy
Despite the fact that using renewable energy has been a practice for centuries, recent climate change and global warming have compelled many scientists and researchers to explore ways to include more environmentally friendly activities in our daily life. Renewable energy replenishes itself, reducing the demand for resource extraction. Our dependency on natural gas can be greatly reduced by using solar or wind power, which will also slow down the gradual depletion of resources.
4. Recycle
Resources must be used to create new things, but recycling makes it possible to reuse the materials we currently have. Making less new materials also reduces waste, which helps in lowering air and groundwater pollution. Find a recycling facility that will take goods like plastic bottles, cardboard, or aluminium. To reduce the need for logging and deforestation, switch to paperless invoices and buy recyclable products.
5. Composting
Food wastes can be turned into beneficial materials for your backyard garden by composting. By enhancing drainage, composting decreases soil erosion, which in turn reduces the demand for watering. Additionally, beneficial organisms drawn to composting reduce the need for pesticides and other dangerous chemicals. Composting promotes sustainability and helps reduce the waste and pollution that food waste generates.
6. Choose reusable goods
Another approach to save resources is to stay away from single-use plastics. Choose ceramic, metal, or glassware instead of paper plates, plastic cups, or water bottles. Instead of using plastic bags, use your own cotton grocery bags. Reusing products is an excellent strategy to cut waste and prevent more trash from ending up in landfills.
Conclusion
Humans rely on nature for survival, but not all natural resources are renewable. The food and water we consume, the air we breathe, and the shelter we make all derive from natural resources, so on this World Nature Conservation Day we must take steps to conserving resources by encouraging the health and wellbeing of both the planet and humankind. By conserving our natural resources, we can have a more positive impact on our natural environment.
