Yesterday, Sunday 5th July, was World Environment Day. Here at AnimalEd, every day is World Environment Day! It is almost impossible to list every single service the environment provides for us, but it can be broken into four main categories: cultural, provisioning, regulating, and supporting.
Cultural
Physical health - taking walks in nature, swimming in the ocean, white water rafting through rivers, rock climbing... there are thousands of ways that our environment facilitates us looking after our physical health!
Mental wellbeing - spending time in nature and with animals has been scientifically proven to improve mental health.
Tourism - eco-tourism is growing at 10-30% each year!
Knowledge and learning
Recreation
Inspiration - it is no secret that many artists, writers, poets and more have gained plenty of inspiration from the natural world
Spiritual and religious connections
Provisioning
Food and drink - everything we are able to eat or drink, we owe to the environment around us
Natural medicines - a lot of plants have impressive medicinal values
Water supply
Materials - where else would we get our lumber, cotton, slate and more from?
Renewable and non-renewable energy
Regulating
Clean air - in order to breathe, we rely entirely on our ecosystems
Carbon storage
Food management
Erosion control - tree roots are a fantastic example of natural erosion control, helping to stabilise soil around river beds, reducing the risk of flooding
Water purification
Disease and natural pest control - natural predators, for example snakes, help to regulate the population of 'pest' species, like rodents.
Pollination
Supporting
Healthy soils
Photosynthesis
Nutrient cycling
Space for wildlife - countless different ecosystems around the world provide a home for our beloved animal and plant species!
That is a LOT of ecosystem services. So a huge thank you to the environment for ensuring we are not only able to survive, but thrive on planet Earth! The least we can do in return is start taking better care of our natural spaces - wouldn't you agree?
Thanks for reading today and, as usual, remember to always keep learning!
-- Charlie & Tiana
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