The health of our environment and the health of the human population are immensely intertwined. We haven’t seen the loss of life at this rapid rate since the dinosaurs went extinct. The Global Biodiversity Outlook 5 recently revealed that none of our 2010 Aichi Biodiversity Targets were reached by 2020. The Aichi Biodiversity Targets were intended to provide nations with the targets for species and habitat protection necessary to protect our planet, over the last 10 years.

Our Earth is not an issue we can afford to wait on. Our livelihoods depend on it. A healthy Earth is vital to creating a healthy environment where all creatures have access to a safe habitat, clean water, healthy food, clean air, and more.

Without functioning ecosystems, which depend on healthy biodiversity, there would be no clean air to breathe, safe water to drink or nutritious food to eat. Healthy ecosystems also regulate the Earth’s climate, filter air and water, recycle nutrients and mitigate the impact of natural disasters.

Why all human rights depend on a healthy environment

Portugal and Spain became the first countries to put the right to a healthy and sustainable environment in their constitution in 1976, and 1978 respectively. In 1981 the right to a healthy environment appeared in regional human rights treaties with the African Charter on Human and People’s rights, and again in 1988 with the San Salvador Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights in 1988. Today more than 80% of the UN’s members recognize the right to a healthy environment as a human right. While the U.S does not, there are some states that recognize it in their constitution.

It’s become quite clear in recent months with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, that the Earth is prepared to protect its self at the cost of human life. Evidence has shown that pandemics such as the current one are often caused by the effects of human activities that cause damage to the planet.

Many have chosen to take action in light of recent events. Greta Thunberg, and other young people have filed cases with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, stating that our approach to climate change as it stands, violates their rights. Similar cases have been filed against Australia and the Netherlands.

As a young person myself, I do believe that climate change is the most pressing issue that threatens our world today, on a global scale. Composting is one of, if not the most important thing an individual can do for the environment, along with continuing to read and learn about the threats that climate change imposes on our Earth.

More than 100 million tonnes of nitrogen fertilizer is sprayed on crops every year. When sprayed, the nitrogen releases nitrous oxide into the atmosphere. Over recent years Nitrous Oxide emissions from natural sources have remained stagnate, whereas emissions from human causes have skyrocketed over the last couple of decades. Concentrations of nitrous oxide have reached 331 parts per billion in 2018, 22% higher than before the industrial era. Emissions are caused by the use of synthetic fertilizers.

The emissions are created through microbial processes in soils. The use of nitrogen in synthetic fertilizers and manure is a key driver of this process. Other human sources of N₂O include the chemical industry, wastewater and the burning of fossil fuels.

New research: nitrous oxide emissions 300 times more powerful than CO₂ are jeopardising Earth’s future

Nitrous Oxide is typically destroyed in the atmosphere by solar radiation, but The Conversation reports that we’re currently emitting it faster than it’s being destroyed. Nitrous Oxide has 300 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide and stays in the atmosphere for an average of 116 years.

Research from the intergovernmental panel on Climate change has shown that we have exceeded the levels of nitrous oxide expected in all of our developed scenarios for the future. We are on track to see a global temperature increase of 3 degrees Celsius, this century.

Emissions of nitrous oxide have grown 30% globally over the last three decades. Brazil, China, and India have been some of the top contributors, with growing economies and increasing numbers of livestock and crop production. In Europe, nitrous oxide emissions have decreased over the past two decades- even while agricultural productivity increased. Europe had implemented governmental policies to reduce pollution and encourage more efficient fertilizer use.

To reduce greenhouse gas emissions we should focus on sustainable small scale agriculture that promotes carbon sequestration. Our health and environment are very intertwined. By eating locally grown organic produce that is good for your body, you can also do good for the Earth.

A new study compared the carbon emissions of nuclear power versus renewable energy and finds that renewables resulted in a more serious reduction of national carbon emissions. Scientists analyzed data from 123 countries from the years of 1999 to 2014. Not only did nuclear power not show a significant reduction in carbon emissions, it even showed increases in carbon emissions in some developing countries.

The evidence clearly points to nuclear being the least effective of the two broad carbon emissions abatement strategies, and coupled with its tendency not to co-exist well with its renewable alternative, this raises serious doubts about the wisdom of prioritising investment in nuclear over renewable energy…”

Benjamin Sovacool, a professor of energy policy at the University of Sussex

Nuclear power has been sold as a solid, more environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels, and there have been advances in nuclear technology since 2014, the last year that this study was examined. In addition to that, many of the nuclear plants analyzed were older and needed more energy to be maintained. Even with those caveats, it’s clear that nuclear power won’t benefit the environment the way a strategy consisting of renewable energies like wind and solar would.

Scientists have discovered that tiny air pollution particles associated with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s have been identified in the brain stems of young people.

It is terrifying because, even in the infants, there is neuropathology in the brain stem…We can’t prove causality so far, but how could you expect these nanoparticles containing those metal species to sit inert and harmless inside critical cells of the brain? That’s the smoking gun – it seriously looks as if those nanoparticles are firing the bullets that are causing the observed neurodegenerative damage.”

Professor Barbara Maher, Lancaster University, UK

Related: Beat Alzheimer’s Disease Naturally

While researchers have not yet confirmed if these particles cause neurodegenerative disease, but it’s highly likely that air pollution does play a part in those conditions. The consequences for future generations will be huge, as over 90% of the population lives with unsafe air. These nanoparticles were found in the brainstems of 186 people between the ages of 11 months to 27 who died suddenly in Mexico City. Air pollution is a serious issue in Mexico, with 8% of the population dying from pollution-related conditions.

Tesla is planning to make the Twin Dolphin Community in Los Cabos, the first completely off-grid community. The Twin Dolphin community is a 1,400-acre community in Mexico. Tesla will provide batteries and power management to the private community. Tesla plans to set up a similar community in Sonoma County, California next fall.

The community will use fully integrated solar panels, battery energy storage, and software systems to bring reliable clean energy to the whole community. Tesla will also provide clean backup energy for the wider surrounding community.

“We are excited to see our vision of being the first off-the-grid community in Cabo coming to life. We are grateful for the partnership and engagement of Tesla and their technologies, which have made this possible. Our larger vision is that other premier master plan community developers will follow our lead and implement similar projects so that collectively we can help preserve our environment,” 

Tesla plans its first off-grid community | Living Off the Grid: Free Yourself

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The project will generate 20 gigawatt-hours of electricity a year. The project will be made up of a central-mount site that takes over 22 acres next to the community’s existing reverse osmosis and desalination plant which provides the community with potable water.

This initiative goes well with other sustainability projects at Twin Dolphin. Currently, they are preserving more than 40,000 thousand native plants, conserving energy through building design to maximize natural cooling, using locally sourced building materials, and using LED lights throughout properties.

Kiss The Ground is a new Netflix documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson. The documentary is all about the importance of soil, and more specifically, how we can take care of the soil so the soil will take care of us. The documentary talks about the U.S.’s long history of destroying the soil and what we can do to fix it.

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After Wood Harrelson starts the narration, the film opens on Ray Archuleta, a certified soil scientist. Ray travels around the country and teaches farmers the importance of no-till farming practices. He talks about the importance of the soil, and more specifically, the importance of carbon-rich soil. Ray sets the scene for the film to talk about the importance of regenerative agriculture and the importance of giving back to the soil, as well as how to spread the message.

The documentary also touches on the importance of eating food to feed your gut and the importance of getting the good microbes from the soil into your gut. And of course, you really can’t talk about the damage done to the soil without mentioning pesticides and GMOs. It’s a vicious cycle, says Harrelson. “The more tilling that’s done the weaker the soil gets, and the more compelled farmers feel to use chemical sprays”.

Field corn, our most common crop in the U.S., is genetically modified and sprayed with glyphosate. Glyphosate is known to cause cancer and is so overused it’s found its way into our drinking water. Three pounds of toxic chemicals are sprayed per person onto or food, each year.

“A big reason these chemicals make us sick is because just as toxic chemicals kill the microbes in the soil, they kill the microbes in our bodies.”

Kiss The Ground

Related: How To Heal Your Gut 

As is pointed out in the documentary, our topsoil in its current condition has about 60 harvests left, and if that doesn’t terrify you, then you’re not paying enough attention. After going through the history of the damage we’ve done, the documentary establishes an important message: It’s not too late. They dive into regenerative practices that feed the earth, sustainable farming, the importance of cover crops, the importance of composting, and so much more.

From the damage done by the Dust Bowl to the German Scientist who originally invented pesticides, to the importance of the bacteria in our soil, I’d say the documentary does a pretty good job of covering the history of soil degradation and informing viewers as to why it’s so important that we fix this problem.

Even you’re pretty well versed with our current environmental crisis, this documentary is still worth a watch. The documentary covers a lot of ground (no pun intended). The way the film covers the importance of taking care of the Earth with how it relates to taking care of our own bodies is something that is not often seen in more mainstream content. I couldn’t even begin to cover all the important points made in the documentary in one review. The film reminded us of how important it is that we keep working to achieve a better, cleaner Earth.

Kiss The Ground is available on Netflix. If the film or even this article has inspired you to learn more about what you can to do help, from a health perspective, we recommend eating as clean as possible. By focusing on gut health, and eating an organic, diverse diet, you can do more than just improve your own health, you can improve the health of the Earth.

The New Jersey state legislature has voted to ban single-use plastic bags in all stores and restaurants. This bill also bans the use of single-use polystyrene at restaurants and paper bags at grocery stores and is the most thorough single-use plastic ban in the United States.

This bill is probably the strongest, most comprehensive bill in the nation dealing with plastics and packaging. It will go a long way in our battle with plastic pollution.”

Jeff Tittel, the director of the New Jersey Sierra Club

The bill has been approved in the legislature, and NJ governor Scott Murphy is expected to sign the bill into law.

“The governor is proud to support the strongest bag ban in the nation. This bill will significantly reduce the harm that these products cause to our environment.”

Mahen Gunaratna, Governor Murphy’s communications director

Related: How to Detox From Plastics and Other Endocrine Disruptors

Plastics companies took advantage of the coronavirus earlier in the year to put holds on several plastic bag bans. Many municipalities, even in California, chose to instead ban reusable bags. Some states (Florida, cough, cough) even have laws prohibiting the ban of single-use plastics bags.

Many opponents of the bill claim that this ban will put businesses at a disadvantage, but at this point, there is no excuse for continuing to use single-use plastic bags. Eco-friendly bag options are widely available. The average American family takes home an average of 1,500 plastic bags each year, and only 1% of those bags end up recycled. These bags stay in landfills for centuries, breaking down into microplastics and releasing endocrine disruptors.

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At this point, we are knowingly poisoning our environment and ourselves for grocery store convenience and fossil fuel profits. We shouldn’t have to live this way.