Climate change and sustainability are without a doubt some of the most important issues being discussed today. With the global community becoming increasingly aware of the impact of our daily habits, we have an obligation to live as ethically as possible for the future of our health and survival. With Earth Day shining the spotlight on many of the ways in which we can be more environmentally conscious, we wanted to share some of the amazing things about Earth you may have not known or celebrated lately.
Nature as Medicine
Did you know that spending time engaging with nature has profound effects on our health and wellbeing? Science has shown that as little as 20 minutes of outdoor activity a day decreases the amount of stress hormone your body produces. The ultimate natural remedy, a daily stroll among the trees can not only significantly decrease stress and anxiety but also improve mood and memory. So the next time you reach for your phone to pass the time, consider looking up and wandering outside for a bit instead.
Trees Communicate, too
Have you ever talked to a plant and wondered if it could hear you? It might not be as crazy as it seems. Research has revealed that trees send and receive messages via biological pathways underneath the soil. This phenomenon influences their growth rates and even aides saplings in access to limited resources.
Forest Scientist Suzanne Simard found evidence that different tree species converse through symbiotic relationships with mycorrhiza, or ‘fungus root’. Their intricate web of fungal threads connect different individuals in the forest and enable passage of nutrients, hormones and chemicals. This underground communication network silently occurs under every footstep we take in the forest, and is quite fascinating to consider the next time you walk through the woods.
The Merging of Nature and Urban Environments
The industrial revolution was unfortunately a major contributor to the chopping of trees around the globe, but with increased awareness and action, we now have more trees today than we did 100 years ago! Continuing this momentum is a movement to green our urban landscapes by bringing the forests into the city.
Architects like Stefano Boeri who spearheaded the Forest City in China and Bosco Verticale in Italy are revolutionizing the way we think of urban living. Their revolutionary designs create a symbiotic union between our modern day inventions and Earth’s natural wonders. Can you imagine a future with flourishing sky scrapers and vibrant green city skylines? It’s a dream we can’t wait to turn into commonplace reality.
The Largest Living Organism Thrives Below the Surface
Remember those fungal friends that help trees talk to one another? Well sometimes strains of fungi do more harm than good, and in this particular case it led to a massive discovery. When scientists in 1998 started investigating why trees were dying in an Oregon national forest, they found the largest, and one of the oldest living organisms on the planet.
Armillaria solidipes, a specific strain of Honey Fungus, covers a whopping 9.6 square kilometers, or 3.7 square miles of the forest floor, and is estimated to be between 2,400 and 8,650 years old! Inspiring to see how resilient one of nature’s creations can be over the millenia. We can’t help but wonder what stories it could tell.
We Could Have Neighbors
So this may not exactly be a fact about our home planet, but it’s definitely worth mentioning how scientists have discovered evidence of planets potentially similar to ours. The awareness of Earth-like planets such as Kepler-186f is an example of how anything in the universe is possible. They may be out of our reach, but the idea we might have a celestial neighbor in a galaxy far, far away is a humbling reminder of how precious our own home is, and how we might want to clean house before a visit.
It’s intriguing to think about the possibility of life beyond Earth, but being here and now is enough cause for celebration. To enjoy the many innovations and natural wonders of our world is an immense privilege and inherent responsibility we all share- which is why we all celebrate Earth Day and do our part to raise awareness and choose ethical practices.
As a certified organic line of skincare, we take pride in practicing integrity and transparency in the creation of our products. In delivering the healing properties of nature to the skin through clean beauty, we find a cause for celebration every day.
