Sustainable and healthy living

A lot. After all, a sustainable lifestyle is about protecting the earth so it remains livable and habitable for humans. This has a direct effect on health with global warming playing a significant role. These are the findings of the "Lancet Countdown", an international collaborative project that independently assesses the health-related consequences of climate change. According to the panel of experts, climate change will be the decisive factor for human health.

Regarding a sustainable lifestyle, the following applies: The majority of our environmental and climate protection activities also benefit our health.

In the context of activity and diet, the expert recommendations for health and sustainability go hand in hand. A healthy lifestyle and regular physical activity coupled with a seasonal and regional diet is not only the best way to prevent insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes – it also protects the climate and the environment.

On the one hand, malnutrition is prevalent in many parts of the world. On the other, scientific calculations show that the current energy-intensive food system used in the Western world is not only responsible for a quarter of all global greenhouse gas emissions, but is also detrimental to health. According to findings from the German Diabetes Society (DDG in German), this system leads to the over-consumption of processed high-calorie foods and animal products containing high levels of salt, sugar, and saturated fats. All these are factors in the onset of type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

To solve this multitude of problems, the EAT Lancet Commission, an international network of scientists from the fields of nutrition, agriculture, and geoscience, developed the Planetary Health Diet. The German Diabetes Society (DDG) recommends using this nutritional concept as a guideline.

The planetary health diet aims to double the consumption of vegetables, pulses, fruit and nuts, while halving the consumption of meat and sugar. Moreover, it aims to improve food production methods and reduce food waste.

An example of the implementation of the Planetary Health Diet is as follows:

• 1 to 2 eggs per week,
• one piece of meat and fish and
• no more than 250 g of dairy product per day.
• The remainder should consist of vegetables, fruit, and cereals.

Furthermore, when shopping, pay attention to the origin of the food purchased. Fresh, unpackaged, local produce that has not been transported a long distance or grown in a heated greenhouse is particularly sustainable.

Find out more about what a healthy, balanced, mixed diet looks like here.

Measure 1: Water-saving showerhead
A water-saving showerhead reduces water usage when showering by almost half, therefore saving on the energy used to heat the water. Installation takes around 10 minutes and savings are made with every shower. The water-saving showerhead not only reduces your own footprint but also that of the other members of the household. This has an additional benefit: The water-saving shower head also helps you save money!

Measure 2: Avoiding flying
A return flight from Frankfurt to Barcelona generates almost half a ton of CO₂. This means that even a short weekend trip can significantly enlarge even the smallest of carbon footprints. Therefore, flying should be looked at very closely when trying to half your carbon footprint. Avoiding flying is a Big Point.

Measure 3: Insulated living spaces
Good house insulation reduces energy consumption for heating and rapidly saves half a ton or more of CO₂ annually per person. It is most effective to insulate the building envelope; however, smaller measures can also help save energy.

Measure 4: Plant-based diet
A vegetarian or vegan diet avoids the production of up to half a ton of greenhouse gases. Those who follow a (environmentally-) conscious diet often choose to buy seasonal, regional, and organic foods, which are all lower in CO₂.

Measure 5: Green electricity
Switching to green electricity is easy and saves on average more than half a ton of CO₂ per person. Make sure to look for labeled green electricity when selecting a tariff. The “Grüner-Strom” (Green Electricity) label and the Ok Power label guarantee that the use of green electricity will promote new power plants (Websites in German).

Measure 6: Drive less
Those who do not use a car on a daily basis are implementing a Big Point. This is because frequently traveling short distances by car adds up over the course of the year, e.g., driving to work or dropping the children off at kindergarten. Less frequent journeys, such as going on vacation, taking trips, or transporting things, play a less significant role. Carsharing provides an alternative to owning a car, because if you don’t own a car, you won’t be tempted to use it more than you should.

Measure 7: Conscious consumption
The lower the level of consumption, the smaller the footprint. There are many ways to consume less. Extending the useful life of a product by repairing, buying second-hand, and borrowing – i.e., buy fewer new things and use what is already on hand. Saving and investing money also stops you from spending on consumer goods. Private assets held in green investments or checking accounts make an important contribution to climate protection. Combined, these actions result in the Big Point of “conscious consumption”.