Our forests are burning to make way for cattle ranching, soy-feed production and Palm oil. Habitats are being destroyed.
The IUCN has issued an urgent call to massively scale up species conservation action in response to the escalating biodiversity crisis. The call for Global Species Conservation Action appeals to the world’s governments, international agencies and the private sector to halt species decline and prevent human-driven extinctions by 2030, and to improve the conservation status of threatened species with a view to bringing about widespread recovery by 2050.
Something that has been rumbling quietly in the background for many years has finally gathered pace and that’s the issue of Climate Change.
One thing has never been clearer; it really is time to change our human habits in order to save our habitats, the planet and ultimately ourselves.
“A settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up.”
If you want to break a habit, the general advice is to make it harder to do, and if you want to make a new habit, make it easy to do.
1) Stop Doing it (Obviously)
2) Replace With Something You Want Instead
If you want to get rid of your bad habit, you have to pave a new path for your brain to begin paving. You have to set a new direction.
3) Attach A Bigger Purpose Behind Your Change
Spend time in and with nature to appreciate what we are about to lose if we don’t curb our bad habits.
Reusable water bottle – ditch the plastic. We sell aluminium water bottles at the park. We also have a Re-fill station. There are handy Re-fill stations around Gibraltar, find out more here: Re-fill Nautilus, Aqua Gib & Hunter Group.
Shop local (on foot or bike) at small-scale health stores, ideally those that allow re-fills.
Ditch the meat – the easiest, cheapest and healthiest way to help habitats. Choose sustainably-reared, organic meat and reduce your consumption.
If you struggle to eat plant-based, substitute real meat and dairy for plant-based alternatives, 2-3 days a week. I find it’s easier just to not buy meat. It’s so much easier and less wasteful not having to store meat and fish products at home. Eat out once a week at a good restaurant (preferably with pure plant-based food or meat substitutes or sustainably sourced meat). The more we choose these options, the more we will drive demand.
As time goes on, you’ll find your dependency on meat will wane. You will also find you are healthier too! After all, we are wolfing down a shocking 45% more meat and dairy than 50 years ago and this is still increasing in the non-western world.
Ecologically speaking, it is still Sustainable for each of us to eat 29kg of meat per year, but that’s if your conscience can deal with the ethical disaster that is the meat industry! Check out our Facebook page for more ideas, data and statistics on the impacts of meat on the environment and recipe ideas: CutMeatNotTrees
Reduce waste – get creative with left-overs. Most countries and areas have a typical poor-mans dish, these are usually excellent for using up waste: think bubble & squeak, .. & …
Plant trees! Rather than wasting money and resources on pointless presents, why not plant a tree in honour of the event, be it Birthday’s, anniversaries or Valentine’s Day, we are wasting valuable resources on frivolous gifts that are ultimately thrown away. With JUST ONE Tree you can give just £1 to plant a tree with various habitat restoration projects all over the world.
AND REMEMBER! The planet is our HUMAN HABITAT too!