Earth Day

We all know about Earth Day, but how did it all begin?

From the Earth Day Network:

“The first Earth Day, on April 22, 1970, activated 20 million Americans from all walks of life and is widely credited with launching the modern environmental movement. The passage of the landmark Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and many other groundbreaking environmental laws soon followed. Growing out of the first Earth Day, Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement. More than 1 billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.”

What can each of us do to pay it forward and keep our planet healthy?

In addition to the obvious, such as driving greener cars, using sustainable, recyclable materials instead of plastics and doing our best to use natural energy sources, did you know that if you follow a True Paleo regime, you’re also doing your part to contribute to a healthier planet?

• The focus on local, seasonal produce makes a huge positive impact on a smaller carbon footprint.
• Incorporating wild animals into our diets, which were raised in a natural environment with real food that they’re eat in the wild, rather than in an inhumane factory where they’re force fed items they’d never naturally ingest does not actually worsen environment because it ‘releases excess carbon into the atmosphere’. In actuality, since grass fed animals eat a naturally occurring substance that does not have to be farmed and will never require pesticides of any kind, and turn it into a food humans can eat (grass fed meat).
• Avoiding grains, so many of which come from large scale grain production facilities, which we naturally omit in the Paleo Lifestyle, also helps to reduce the amount of Co2 we release into the air.
• By including regular physical activity into our lifestyle, we further reduce the demand we have on our cars and the associated toxins released when we drive from here to there.
• Finally, although this might be more in keeping with a generally civil approach to live in harmony than specifically for Earth Day, pay it forward and promote peace.   Even I, certainly very dogmatic at times, don’t feel the need to convince people to go Paleo and tell them they’re wrong for eating fries, breads and ice cream.  Peace out!

Check out EarthDay.org for more ideas!