Even in times of crisis, we have many ways to experience community, keep positive and stay healthy — while maintaining our commitment to nature and our collective well-being. (Photo: Ifrah Akhter on Unsplash)
We find ourselves in extraordinary times. But despite upheaval from the global COVID-19 pandemic, we also see signs of hope, connection and resilience as communities come together in unprecedented ways.
As with the climate and biodiversity crises, we’re in this together and need to join in collective action for the common good.
People throughout Canada have been following directions from health authorities — physically distancing and staying home — to help flatten the curve of COVID-19. Whether we realize it or not, this is an act of love for each other — an investment in our collective future.
In these challenging circumstances, we still have many ways to experience community, keep positive and stay healthy — all while maintaining our commitment to nature and our collective well-being.
Four ways to stay inspired
1. Reconnect with nature
During a time of crisis, it’s normal to experience a heightened sense of fear and uncertainty. Fortunately, a growing chorus of scientists and researchers agree: time spent in nature makes us happier, healthier and less stressed. It even makes us nicer and more empathetic, with more meaningful relationships and increased community involvement. Just remember to continue following distancing guidelines and regulations.
Evidence shows that being regularly immersed in a natural setting, like a park, wetland or woodlot — and even simply having a view of nature or looking at pictures of it — can reduce blood pressure, anxiety and stress levels and boost immunity.
Here are a few restorative things you can do to start feeling healthier, happier and more peaceful:
- Learn lessons from Mother Nature and practice stress-relieving strategies like deep breathing, hot- and cold-water bathing, moon-bathing and forest-bathing.
- Challenge yourself to spend 30 minutes a day with nature. Adapt our One Nature Challenge with activities you can do from home. Savour the sunset from a window, listen for birdsong or dine al fresco!
- Discover some of Canada’s iconic species. Get to know the Salish Sea orcas and #JoinThePod, find out why caribou of the boreal forest are way cooler than you might think and learn how to identify bees from wasps and flies.
- Encourage the children in your life to spend time outside and teach them about environmental responsibility at the same time. With slight modifications to the Suzuki Superhero Challenge, you can keep kids engaged while grooming the next generation of superheroes for the planet!
2. Plant seeds of change
There is never a bad time to start planning your yard, garden plot or balcony, tend to indoor plants and more.
The seasons are also a time of renewal. Let’s use this time to imagine what life will be like on the other side of this crisis. Great oaks from little acorns grow!
- Plant a pollinator patch to help bring bees and butterflies back to your neighbourhood. Pollinators are essential to human survival, but they’re increasingly under threat from urbanization, industrial agriculture and climate change. Fortunately, cities and suburbs can be surprisingly great habitat for insects, as long as we provide enough food, habitat and shelter.
- What you eat also has a climate impact. Eating a diet rich in plant-based foods, as well as organic foods grown closer to home, has environmental benefits and is good for individual health, not to mention the pocketbook. Why not plan growing at home? Good crops you can start with include lettuce/mesclun, radishes, carrots, potatoes, zucchini and strawberries. Or, for windowsills, start a herb box. You can even encourage young farmers by getting the kids involved!
3. Act at home — for the common good!
Physically distancing and staying home offer many people an opportunity to come together with families and roommates. COVID-19 reminds us to slow down, support one another and consider a simpler way of living. How can we find new ways of cohabitating that we’ll be better for in the long run?
- Are you the eco-friendliest person in your home? Encourage those you live with to go green, while appreciating that everyone is doing their best. Connect over the values you share and host a house meeting to generate ideas. Need inspiration on where to get started? Review tips from our Queen of Green.
- After filling our pantries and stocking our supplies at home, we can find new ways to make the most of what we have, waste less and enjoy life more. This can include reducing food waste by freezing food and not confusing “best before” dates with “expired”, making your own hand soap and cleaning products or going zero-waste altogether!
- Many people have experienced a loss of their daily routines, especially those who are out of work or away from school. It’s okay to embrace the idleness you might be experiencing. Take time to process what’s going on and permit yourself to rest a little more. Remember, the Buddha didn’t reach enlightenment until he decided to stop doing everything! One unintended benefit of some selective idleness is that it can even be a novel climate solution. By slowing down and sleeping more, we consume less energy and resources.
4. Find ways to reimagine our world
Crises force us to determine what is most important in life. Just a few months ago, we were experiencing a society based largely on individualistic actions and systems. Today, we see acts of altruistic communal service that remind us what life can be like in a world where we take care of one another first.
Let’s find ways to reimagine our world — a world where the interdependence of all living things is central and celebrated.
The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet. But it’s not too early to see how it can help us determine ways to “recover better.” We can seize this opportunity to become more localized, densified and green.
- Join community-led movements working to secure healthier, more viable futures in the areas of climate justice, biodiversity, waste reduction and sustainable systems. The Future Ground Network connects you with organizers in your community, and other groups, to share best practices, find inspiration and work together to achieve common goals.
- Find hope in communities that care. We’re buoyed by stories of people making a difference, envisioning the future they want to see and working to make it a reality. Take inspiration from the Charged Up library, which is full of stories from communities throughout the country, where people are working to build healthy, equitable, sustainable futures.
- Support a green and just recovery. Send your message to Ottawa to rebuild after COVID-19 by creating jobs that will protect nature and the climate. They say the darkest hour is just before the dawn. Let’s make sure the new day is a greener one.
A green, just recovery movement is growing
Together, we’re working towards a recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that will put us on the path to a sustainable, resilient and equitable future for all.
