PROJECT BREATHE
Have you ever stopped to really consider, what would happen if our planet could no longer breathe?
If the trees were unable to absorb enough sunlight to synthesise sufficient oxygen, if the oceans reached a point of saturation beyond which they could no longer absorb carbon dioxide, accelerating the rate of global warming. It’s a well told tale of disaster movies such as The Day After Tomorrow and The Perfect Storm which paint a picture of apocalyptic scale, environmental collapse. But what’s the reality?
Well, every human on the planet breathes in around ten tonnes of air a year, which contains around 740 kilograms of oxygen. That’s about the weight of a small car and roughly requires seven or eight mature trees to maintain only the basic needs of every individual. That’s a total of 64 billion trees to cover only the bare minimum needed for every person on the planet, without considering animals, sea life and other organisms who also depend on oxygen for survival.
Before the industrial era, the oceans were in fact a net creator of carbon dioxide. However, human-generated emissions, are forcing the oceans to absorb this gas, altering the chemistry of seawater, an effect known as ocean acidification, which has a hugely negative impact on marine life which also need oxygen to breathe. The oceans are slowly suffocating.
OUR PLANET NEEDS TO BREATHE AND SO DO YOU
The problem, is that the human brain is biased towards reacting to our immediate circumstances, to address our needs for food and shelter, and desires for more immediate gratification. Never before have we lived in an era that has required us to consider how life might be twenty, thirty or fifty years into the future. In other words, to live now in a way that puts the lives of the next generation first, ahead our own.
Sure, putting children first rings well in our ears but when it comes to actually taking practical steps, it doesn’t align well with our cognitive programming. Many of us struggle to prioritise saving for our pensions ahead of taking a “well earned holiday” in the sun, never mind applying ourselves to a task as enormous as saving the planet for future generations.
Of course, i’m not suggesting we’re totally self-centred, many people want to take action to combat climate change, we’re well meaning and full of good intentions, but with so many issues to tackle, and causes worthy of our attention, it’s difficult to know where to begin.
Is it really possible for individuals to make a difference to the seemingly insurmountable problems we face? The answer is a firm yes, so where to start?
The first step towards truly appreciating our environment is to get out there and see it for yourself. Don’t follow the masses to the best known beauty spots, explore away from the crowds and wherever possible with a minimal carbon footprint.
Why? Because if we really want to help, we need to visualise what it is we’re trying to save and to re-connect with the eco-systems we need to preserve. If we can’t visualise our goal, it’s very unlikely that we’ll make a real, long lasting difference.
Secondly, we need a plan. A plan that involves thinking big and also small. This means considering what you can do on a micro-level; small lifestyle changes that accumulate over time and macro-level actions; pushing governments to change policies and campaigning for companies to adapt their businesses now.
LET’S TACKLE MICRO ACTIONS FIRST, SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TODAY?
If we’re honest, making lasting changes to our hectic lifestyles isn’t easy, however there are small steps we can all very easily take right now…
For example, one billion plastic toothbrushes are added to landfill annually in the United States alone. They’re made using fossil fuels which pollute soil and water as they decompose. Bamboo toothbrushes are a surprisingly little known alternative, are widely available, just as effective and are sustainable. Switch today, no sacrifice needed.
One million single use drinking bottles are bought globally every minute. Only a fraction are actually recycled, in the UK as little as 10%. Most are discarded or burned and remember, recycling also uses energy which means burning fossil fuels. If each individual bought one reusable bottle we would each personally prevent over 300 bottles littering the oceans each year. Today the great Atlantic garbage patch covers an area three times the size of France.
Buy groceries that are grown locally and organically, so they don’t need to be shipped half way across the world to reach our dinner tables. For those items which can’t be sourced close to home, look out for Rainforest Alliance certified essential products such as coffee, bananas, tea and chocolate (essentially a cyclists diet).
Carefully choose which companies you support with your hard earned cash, when purchasing their products or services. Every pound, euro or dollar you spend is a vote. Reward those who are already becoming sustainable, other companies will quickly follow if enough of us change our preferences to ethically produced goods. Use social media to promote companies that are progressive and call out those which continue to live in the past.
INSPIRING OTHERS TO CHANGE TOO
Reducing your carbon footprint is second nature for cyclists. On short journey’s take your bike instead of the car, even the smallest efforts will accumulate to make a big difference. If you can find time for a few longer journeys too, you’ll not only save on emissions but improve your fitness as well.
Find ways to donate to non-profit and support for-profit organisations, that have manifesto’s to maintain our beautiful planet for generations to come and carry out essential work for all our benefit. We all owe a debt to the many employees and volunteers that support them and they rely on our generosity to fund projects throughout the world. There are many ways to give; by becoming a member of the organisation, with monthly donations and fundraising through friends and family.
Most of all, inspire others to follow your example. Small changes in our lifestyles are more noticeable than you might realise and when put into action can become infectious. You really can change the world one habit at a time, and by sharing your insights with one person at a time. Encourage those you are close to, to see the true value of our natural world and understand the impact we are having on it.
WHAT ABOUT MACRO-ACTION?
This is where you get to use your voice! Climate change is now widely understood and our role in destroying the world is commonly accepted as an issue that needs to be tackled. However, the speed at which we need to take action is not so well appreciated.
Lobby your local government by demanding commitments to tangible but ambitious goals to protect our natural world. Vote for representatives that will make environmental change a priority among their other important policies and who genuinely share your passion for progress. Hold them accountable for the promises they make and the standards they set out by visiting group meetings and having your say. Platforms like change.org are a great way to educate ourselves on the most pressing matters, not only environmentally, and to bring attention to the crucial stories we have to tell.
Volunteer to change your world by finding local charities that need extra hands to get involved and you could gain conservation experience by cleaning up a beach or restoring a nature reserve. Volunteering is the most time intensive but also the most rewarding way to show your support and to make a real difference. You’ll see your world changing for the better in front of your eyes while helping shift perceptions of the problems we face.
Every journey starts with a single step, and while this journey towards an entirely sustainable future where we can co-exist harmoniously with our environment, may seem like an enormous quest, it really is a case of putting one foot in front of the other. The single most crucial step is to start today, not tomorrow, and to allow our planet to breathe again.
“Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree long ago.”
At Epic Cycle Rides we strongly believe in the benefits of spending time in the natural world for our health and wellbeing, so we’re passionate about ensuring the natural world is preserved for generations to come.
Together, we can protect the environments we cycle in and preserve them for everyone to enjoy and the actions of individuals, cumulatively, have the power to protect and change the world. Our goal is to discover and share cycle routes, in some of the most beautiful parts of the world, through our bike tour guide books, GPX routes and educational content published in our blog.
While we promote and give access to these special places, we must also give back and promote their wellbeing as well as our own. All our profits are donated to world class organisations with manifesto’s that do exactly that.
By supporting Epic Cycle Rides, you can not only make the most of your time exploring our extraordinary planet, but also contribute towards preserving it for the years to come. for more information on our activities and to donate to the cause visit Project Breathe.
