Everyday Eco-Habits for Gratitude Towards Nature this Thanksgiving Season
“Gratitude for the Earth is the root of all joy.”
“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
Happy Thanksgiving month! Thanksgiving for me is all about giving thanks, so November seems the perfect month to focus on our gratitude for nature. Being able to live in a healthy environment and enjoy the outdoors is something I am grateful for every single day. The natural environment not only provides us with vital resources on which we all depend, but spending time in nature has been proven to have long-lasting impacts on our physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.
This month, let’s revel in all that nature has to offer
and adopt some simple Everyday Eco-Habits that combine gratitude for nature
with some simple tips to make your Thanksgiving more sustainable!
According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, a single act of gratitude produces an immediate 10% increase in happiness, and a 35% reduction in depressive symptoms. Simply getting outside everyday is the perfect setting to build a gratitude practice that benefits your mental wellbeing. This can be as simple as standing in your own backyard to soak up some sunshine or taking a quick walk around the block during your lunch break.
To show your gratitude for nature this November, I challenge you to get outside in nature 3 times a week
- bonus if you focus on things about nature you’re grateful for as you do so☺. This simple, free habit can rewire your brain to focus on all the things you have to be grateful for, whether you are in your everyday surroundings or out in the wilderness. Spending time in nature is one of the most accessible ways to focus on gratitude you have for daily life.
Then, as Thanksgiving rolls around, let’s adopt some Everyday Eco-Habits to make the holiday more sustainable. Here are just a few options to get started:
Shop locally and seasonally to support small businesses, reduce your carbon footprint, and get the maximum nutrition and flavor out of your meal!
Find a food bank near you that is in need of Thanksgiving supplies before you grocery shop so you know what to buy to help out.
Learn about Indigenous history and donate to Indigenous causes in your community. Here is a comprehensive list of Indigenous organizations in Los Angeles County to get involved with this season.
Donate to an environmental organization to express your gratitude for nature.
Add a plant-based recipe to your Thanksgiving spread this year.
Avoid waste by safely storing leftovers and find recipes to use the leftovers and/or research which local organizations you can donate the leftovers to.
Avoid excess shopping on Black Friday. Most of those crazy eye-catching deals trick us into buying stuff we don’t need that will inevitably end up going to waste just a few months down the line.
Better yet, join me in what has become my post Thanksgiving tradition of Opting Outside on BlackFriday – REI has a great campaign to encourage people to “Make Time to Opt Outside on Black Friday and Everyday.” As they aptly state, “we can’t make more time, but we can make the most of it.” And REI walks the talk – they close their stores on Black Friday to give their 15,000 employees time outside, as well as encouraging others around the country to skip the shopping lines and do the same.
This article from the University of California details a few other ways to extend your kindness and gratitude toward your community, and to nature, this Thanksgiving. Practicing gratitude can help lay the foundation for living a more sustainable, grounded life that benefits you and your environment. And make sure to catch up on my past Everyday Eco-Habits so you can discover some super simple ways to take care of nature this season.
By getting outside in nature and embracing a more sustainable Thanksgiving,
YOU are creating small Everyday Eco-Habits
that will collectively have a huge impact on our shared Earth.
I would love to know how you’re practicing gratitude towards nature and Opting Outside this season of Thanksgiving. Send me pictures of you in action or tag me on my Instagram or Facebook @kim_ecohabits. And for more information, be sure to sign up for my monthly newsletter which delivers Eco-Tips like these right to your inbox.