Living Sustainably is Good for You - and Our Planet

I live close enough to be able to walk to where I shop and strong enough to be able to carry my groceries home; for both of those facts I am thankful. 


I was walking to the shops last week, enjoying the sunshine, saying "good afternoon" to the people I passed in my neighbourhood and getting 20 minutes of walking in, when I realised the value of all the things I was getting done at once: 

• I was outside, soaking up my vitamin D content,
  
  
• getting some daily exercise,
  
  
• being a part of my community and
  
  
• doing my small part for the planet by not using my car.
  

I stopped for a chat with an older lady, from whom a walk to the corner was as much as she could manage. She was determined to make it despite her breathing difficulties and deteriorating health that kept her indoors much of the day and she was glad of the rest and a chat with a neighbour.

Walking home with the knowledge of how good that walk had been, not just for me, gave me a good feeling that stayed with me the rest of the day; or maybe it was the exercise buzz.



It's cool the be "green" and "sustainable" these days but when I was growing up, "greenies" were cast as weirdo-hippies who were stuck in the sixties (yes, I'm that old).

Now almost everyone I know takes their own shopping bags to the supermarket, refuses plastic if they can carry their purchases and finds ways to save energy within their home.


My contribution to sustainability is buying clothes only from charity shops; there are already enough clothes in the world and if I can find a unique, recycled item that saves me money, I'm thrilled.

I even managed to do this while in New York earlier this year.

My hot pink trench coat from Hell's Kitchen Flea Market is one of the most beautiful, functional and best-value purchases I've ever made.


This article caught my eye because the family wanted to live more sustainably and ended up really enjoying the experience and each other.


Whether it's your coffee, chocolate or other products, caring about where they come from and deciding with your dollars, makes a difference.


So do what YOU can do to use your car a little less, get out and walk more, re-use where you can and be aware of how your everyday decisions have a wider impact.