With over half of the world’s population now living in urban areas, it is sometimes difficult to escape the hustle and bustle of city living and find the time to retreat back to nature. The Wildlife Trust aims to make a change this June by encouraging people to do something wild every day for thirty days as part of their 30 Days Wild Challenge.
Efforts to reconnect with nature don’t need to be elaborate or expensive; simply taking time to notice the colours in the sky, a gentle breeze or the shapes of the clouds is a great way to learn to spend more time living in the moment, which has proven benefits to mental wellbeing. Below are some more suggestions about what you could do to better appreciate the natural environment this month:
Switch off all electronics for the day – Online communication and social media have become integral parts of modern living, but crafting the perfect online life sometimes means that we neglect our real one. Unplugging electronics can help us to escape the social media bubble by relieving the urge to document what we do. Instead we can concentrate on experiencing what nature has to offer us in person.
Go camping – From fishing and birdwatching, to biking and rock climbing; going camping is the perfect opportunity to try out new activities and have fun with friends or family. Camping also forces us to improvise new and creative ways to live without the luxuries offered by comfortable urban living.
Grow your own vegetables –Growing your own food might seem daunting, but there are simple guides available online to help you get started. Taking care over your own food will help you to keep active, reduce food waste and save money. Witnessing the process of growth first-hand also allows us to better appreciate how much we rely on natural resources to survive.
Make space for nature – Industrial progress has its benefits in creating new job opportunities and pushing forward the growth of industry, but conservation of the environment is often left behind in the process. Small efforts such as planting wildflowers or building a bird box in your garden can make a massive difference in encouraging wildlife to thrive in your area.
For more information about the 30 Days Wild Challenge you can visit The Wildlife Trust website.