Show our planet some love...

By Lucy Grace

Turn off your lights, use a blanket instead of turning on the heater, limit your shower time and your water usage, turn off your appliances when they’re not needed, car share, adjust your diet if you can, ditch the dryer, take public transport, ride a bike, walk! There's lots of things we can all do to care for the planet we live on and right now is the best time to start.

With mainstream media spouting a continuous stream of statistics and environmental revelations at us, it’s no avoidable fact that we humans are giving our home planet a pretty rough time. Whilst this last century has birthed many useful inventions now commonplace in households throughout the world, there are a few things that perhaps aren’t as harmless as they seem.

It can be hard to accept that the conveniences we rely on in our daily lives can be so detrimental, especially when many only cross our hands for a moment before going in the bin – out of sight, out of mind. But here we are, contributing to widespread pollution of the oceans and land, unprecedented rates of wildlife and species decline (scientists estimate up to 200 species of animals and plants become extinct every day) and not to mention extreme deforestation - 46% of the planet’s forests have been felled according to the National Geographic. As our world population continues to rise at an incomprehensible rate, along with our consumption and waste, it seems that now is the time for a bit of a reality check.

As I cover this topic for you, I ponder how, somewhere along the line, we have become a separate entity from nature. Nature is outside, right? The trees down the lane, the grass by the parks, the birds, the flowers popping up for Spring. Perhaps, beyond the issues that have stemmed from our species, the problem lies in this very perspective. We forget that we are also living, breathing elements of nature, just like any other species - made up of the very same stuff and existing in the very same place.

Since we are a magazine for women, let’s see this new decade as an opportunity to pursue the ultimate act of feminism – nurturing our Mother Earth!

So what can we do? How can we evolve our human behaviours to blend back in with nature and give our planet the chance to thrive? How can we protect the future of our children? To tip the scales back into balance, even the smallest change does make a difference, so here are some simple ideas to get going.

• Eat local and organic: Eating local, organic produce has so many benefits for our community and our planet. Visit your local market or support a fruit/veg shop instead of the supermarket (don’t forget your reusable bags)!

• Reduce your waste: We need to make wasting our resources unacceptable in all aspects of our life. When shopping, if possible opt for packaging that is recyclable – or better, biodegradable. For example, we’ve upped our efforts by composting all paper and card waste at the QueenBee allotment which has seen our bins empty drastically. Get your own compost heap started - it's great for your garden!

Things you can compost include fruit and vegetable scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds, tea bags, garden waste, hair from your hairbrush, dust from the hoover, stale bread, paper towels, paper waste, cardboard… and so much more! Find a full list online.

Another way to reduce your waste is to reuse items. Upcycling is a creative way to keep things out of the bins. This could be reusing a jam jar as a candle holder, or using old tins as plant pots. Search online for ideas - the possibilities are endless!

• Plant more trees: Trees absorb CO2 from the air and help to combat climate change, making us less vulnerable to flooding and other extreme weather. They provide shade and shelter, improve the quality of air we breathe, encourage wildlife and improve our health and wellbeing - we need more of them! If you'd like to get involved with volunteering, PECT’s Forest for Peterborough campaign aims to plant over 230,000 trees in and around the city by 2030.Whether you’re a resident, local business, community group or school, you can join the volunteer planting days. These fun social events are a great way to meet new, like-minded people. To get involved, see www.pect.org.uk

• Cleaning: Step away from harsh, pollutive chemicals that go down our drains and discover nature’s cleaning power. Don’t underestimate the following simple recipe, it's particularly good for even the toughest places, including oven tops. And it's cheap as chips too!

Multipurpose cleaner recipe: 1 splash of apple cider vinegar, 1 scoop of bicarbonate of soda and a little water to dilute. You can add a few drops of essential oil or a squeeze of lemon juice for fragrance and a cleaning boost.

• Eat less meat: Farming animals for meat and dairy requires huge amounts of resources. One of the biggest causes of forest loss is the expansion of agriculture. Moving towards a more plantbased diet will lower your impact on the environment - and with vegetarian and vegan foods on the rise it's never been easier.

• Use your voice! Tell your friends, tell your family and post it on social media. You don’t have to be annoying, preachy or belittling (we all know that doesn’t help), but having a kind conversation or sharing an interesting post is often all it takes to plant a valuable seed.

Be informed and open to learn. This isn’t a situation of “ignorance is bliss” as in the end, it’s our lives and the lives of our future generations that ultimately depend on it. Take the time to research, listen to the facts, watch the documentaries. Take in as much information as you possibly can. It's up to all of us to do our bit and form better conscious habits because after all, there is no planet B.