Average Read Time: 00:02:36
Well today is Blog Action Day and I was excited this year. My first year I could maybe help out a cause. I thought to myself, cool, I can make a little difference and let a couple people know about a topic that will undoubtedly help others. Then, I found out the topic… Global Warming. Well, Super, now what the hell am I going to write about related to Global Warming!? I usually talk about health and fitness so I was really stuck on what I would write about.
Then I remembered Lewis Pugh. The first man to ever swim in the five world oceans. This is because in order to accomplish that feat you have to swim the Arctic Ocean. THE ARCTIC OCEAN! Nobody is that stupid to swim in the Arctic! Now, Lewis Pugh had been to the Arctic before and trip after trip he began to notice the effects of Global Warming, so he wanted to do something that would “Shake the lapels of the world leaders”. To do help he did what he did best. He swam 1 kilometer in just under 19 minutes while wearing this:
A Speedo.
I don’t know how much you know about the water in the Arctic Ocean, so to all get on the same page, I’ll let him describe it to you.
“Just to put it in perspective, 27 degrees is the temperature of a normal swimming pool. This morning, the temperature of the English Channel was 18 degrees. The passengers who fell off the Titanic fell into water of just five degrees centigrade. Fresh water freezes at zero. And the water at the North Pole is minus 1.7. It’s fucking freezing.”
If you are interested in the story of how he achieved this feat, you can see a presentation he gave here.
Lewis Pugh is not the only person to complete a daunting task for a noble cause. Many have performed great feats for different causes. Lance Armstrong bikes for cancer, Dick Hoyt runs for his son, and Martin Strel swims to save the rainforest. These extraordinary people all have one thing in common. They use the tools they have to find a way to help others.
So this really doesn’t need to be an environmental blog in order to make a difference on Blog Action Day. You just need to use the tools you have to find a way to help. So without further ado, I’ll give you three tips to save the environment and stay fit.
1. Reach for a carrot over a burger
Greenhouse gases from livestock have found to be responsible for up to 18% of carbon emissions. Think about all the grain, grass and vegetables these animals eat. Cut out the middle man and try to eat more vegetables. The Earth and your waistband will thank you.
2. Burn fat, not gas
I moved into a new place that is roughly 3 miles away from work. Now I run to work. No more car. Try to see what you can walk to instead of driving. The grocery store? The bank? Can you bike? It may take a little longer, but it is a great way to get your workout out of the way. If I run to and from work, I put down 6 miles everyday. At first it was rough, but now I hardly think about it.
3. Try Local
It doesn’t take much to buy an apple from North America over South Africa, or local produce over international. Think over every mile your food needed to travel and how many preservatives were used to keep that food fresh over the trip. If there is a farmers market in the area, I highly recommend grabbing your produce or meat there. Most prices are unbeatable by grocery stores and can be much healthier.
Images by Daily Mail
Comments: Do you have any other suggestions to stay healthy and combat global warming?
Related posts:
{ 0 comments… add one now }