Love in the future
Locked in the past,
The key is the present
Creating change that lasts.
The actions we take today and those of yesterday are creating the future for humans and other life. Fossil fuels have been affecting the atmosphere since the beginning of the Industrial age and agricultural practices have been negatively affecting ground water and ocean water since the more recent switch to fossil fuel based fertilizers.
Human effects on the environment were noted as long ago as 1745 when John Armstrong published The Art of Preserving Health, a poetic essay on health. Some of the health tips he includes in it are to avoid the "turbid" city air and not having closed , stuffy space in order to have better air quality within the home:
YE who amid this feverish world would wear
A body free of pain, of cares a mind; (line 65)
Fly the rank city, shun its turbid air; Breathe not the chaos of eternal smoke . . . Let lofty cielings grace your ample rooms; And still at azure noontide may your dome
At every window drink the liquid sky. (line 322)
Fresh air is healing, now, in 1745, and in 2045. Lofty ceilings would have been important with coal or wood fireplaces or stoves for heat. Depending on the type of climate in which a building is located architecture can make a difference in how easy it is to heat or cool a home or larger building. For more information and a few resources regarding architecture for a more sustainable future see: "Passive Energy Buildings - building for a future with temperature extremes," (transcendingsquare).
Nature can be healing, possibly even from viewing images as it may help reduce stress levels for some individuals, but a walk in the woods may help more due to the fresh air and the essential oils from trees that provide a pine scent or other types of aroma. Other types of regular exercise can also be beneficial for reducing stress and improving the strength of the heart and lungs. The walk in the woods has been shown to have additional health benefits though. See "Forest Bathing" for more details and links, and "Forest Bathing: for a healthy microbiome" for forest images and information about the potential health benefits of a walk in the woods: (effectivecare/Glossary).
For more information about industrial effects on the climate and long term risks if we continue burning fossil fuels and using agricultural fertilizers made from fossil fuels at the same rate that we currently have been using them see the recent report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC):
"Summary for Policymakers of IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC approved by governments." (10 Oct 2018), (ipcc.pdf).
Links to various documents including the Special Report of Global Warming of 1.5'C: (ipcc.ch).
The NASA website has graphs visualizing the buildup in CO2 in the atmosphere over time: Carbon Dioxide - Vital Signs, Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet, (climate.nasa.gov)
Virtual tours of projects for adapting to climate change are available for a number of areas with a wide range of interesting strategies for building now for a more sustainable future, see: "As if you were there" 360' Demonstrations, USDA Climate Hubs, (climatehubs.oce.usda.gov)
Disclaimer: Opinions are my own and the information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes. Thanks.
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