Your feet are carbon neutral
Our health and the environment
Our health is closely linked to the environment we live in. Clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter are all necessary to maintain good health.
Most of us see climate change as just a threat to the environment. However, it is also a threat to our general health.
“Climate change is the single biggest health threat facing humanity.”
On average, Australia's climate has warmed by 1.4°C since official Bureau of Meteorology records began in 1910.
Both here in Australia and across the globe, we are already seeing ways in which climate change impacts people's health. Extreme weather events (such as heatwaves, fires, and floods), worsening air quality, changes in the spread of infectious diseases, and threats to food and water are all directly linked to climate change. These issues affect our physical and mental health.
What does this have to do with my feet?
Many of us don't link foot health with climate change. But if you stop and think about it, your feet are carbon-neutral, which makes them essential tools to implement change!
Healthy feet can reduce your carbon footprint by allowing you to:
catch public transport to work;
walk to school; or
ride a bike to the shops.
If you have sore feet, poor foot health or inappropriate footwear, you are more likely to jump in your car for transport that could otherwise be done on foot.
In addition, healthy feet let you participate in all types of physical activity, which improves both physical and mental well-being.
With small, simple changes (strap on your walking shoes instead of your seatbelt), your feet can keep you fit and healthy and positively impact a healthier planet for future generations.
Your feet are very important. So please take care of them.