Every action has equal and opposite reaction: World Health Day, April 7th, 2022

Do you realise that the milk pouch corner tip you had cut five years ago is still floating around on this planet?

As the world around us was put on pause and restart mode, the planet went on a vacation to repair, reconnect, and rejuvenate. The pandemic fall was an essential cue for the nations to come together and act on the ideas of global well-being. 

According to WHO reports, about 24% of global death causes are due to the environment. This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) presented the theme of World Health Day 2022 as ‘Our planet. Our Health’, focuses on the reimagining ideas of a planet that connects to the ethics of sustainable living and committing to the cause of a healthier society as a whole. 

The Climate crisis has raised several concerns that have brought together governing bodies and economies to make discussions and propose ideas. However, acting on the guidelines is an individual effort as much as it is an effort of society. We often hear the statement ‘charity begins at home‘, the practice of creating a sustainable planet to breathe fresh oxygen and develop a healthier ecosystem begins from the little things we do as individuals within our home spaces.  

“It is under the seventeen sustainable goals, which include being a responsible consumer, and highlights the issues of unnecessary piling of goods. We aim to achieve zero wastage practices in our daily routine and have encouraged the use of upcycled goods rather than plastic products. Running a cafe comes with the worry of any form of food wastage. Hence, we make sure to keep an active compost pit on the lawn of our cafe area. We maintain a cycle of 60-90 days and encourage our customers to use compost for healthy gardening experiences”, says an environmental enthusiast, Rajeshwari Singh, who has set up Gujarat’s first zero-waste-store and cafe. 

New diseases are making their way into our systems as our bodies are becoming homes to unhealthy lifestyles and poor food habits. Inadequate nutrition is worsening the way our bodies respond to the environment, given the fact that the polluted air we are breathing is equivalent to smoking about twenty cigarettes. 

“As air is a common source of contamination, we’ve seen an increase in respiratory infections in recent years. Significant oxygen deprivation in the body causes weariness, shortness of breath, and decreased stamina. Individuals’ immunity is lowered as a result of such environmental and lifestyle variables, resulting in an ever-evolving chain of diseases. It’s extremely vital right now to keep track of what your body is consuming and how your activities can affect the planet’s overall well-being”, stated Dr. Aishwarya Nair.