And
improve your mental wellbeing!?!
To be clear, as of today there is no published research into this. There is plenty of research that confirms that spending time outside in green spaces/in nature is very good for improving mental health. The following information is off the charity mind‘s website on the subject.
Spending time in green space or bringing nature into your everyday life can benefit both your mental and physical wellbeing. For example, doing things like growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals can have lots of positive effects. It can:
- improve your mood
- reduce feelings of stress or anger
- help you take time out and feel more relaxed
- improve your physical health
- improve your confidence and self-esteem
- help you be more active
- help you make new connections
- provide peer support.
So in that regard, we can say that any eco-conscious activity that requires you to be outside in nature would be beneficial to your mental wellbeing. Creating a space for insects to visit your garden or window box; where you can go to be with nature and take a moment for yourself, to perhaps be mindful which also has benefits for mental wellbeing.
Other research shows that charitable work or simply being kind and helping others, both as an individual or as part of a team has mental health benefits. This is what the charity Mental Health Foundation has to say about it:
Evidence shows that helping others can also benefit our mental health and wellbeing. For example, it can reduce stress as well as improve mood, self-esteem and happiness.
Choosing to volunteer for a charity that is committed to eco-conscious projects, would help personal mental wellbeing.
These are a couple of larger examples of the way choosing to be more eco-conscious can improve mental wellbeing, but many more choices can be linked back to studies that show improvements to mental health. Biking or walking to work is another example; as these not only reduce your carbon footprint, they also get you exercising which is well researched for its effects on wellbeing.
Ultimately though it is down to the individual to decide if making changes help or hinder their wellbeing; because let’s be honest if you are the type of person to over-commit and then stress over any small miss-step that’s going to harm your mental health. For myself, I feel pride every time I make a change no matter how small. The key is not to put pressure on oneself to be perfect; because “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” – Anne-Marie Bonneau (and don’t wade in too deep on social media if that triggers you).
Happy Friday.
