How can we all take responsibility and take practical steps to reduce our carbon footprint that can also bring about physical health benefits. There is growing evidence from UK, US and Scandinavia being active outdoors can bring green rewards that include working in the garden, walking, jogging, cycling and yield mental health benefits too. UK University of Essex showed physical activities, regardless of level of activities or time spent enhance ones mood and self-esteem, and cuts anger, confusion, depression and tension. Exercise with others improves social networking and connectedness. Going for a walk in rural areas puts one in touch with nature and can improve ones physiological outcomes and reduce blood pressure. Being in touch with the environment, a walk in the woods also helps people to be conscious about conservation and climate change that in turn encourages environmentally friendly behaviour- virtuous cycle of benefits to the environment, and improves ones mental health. Green care can save one health by eating healthy, eat fruit and vegetables, taking regular exercise prevent one suffering from mental illness, obesity, stress, by not using public transport, cars, keeps emissions low, save governments money earmarked for healthcare.

This also helps ones environment and nature are only important national resources with inherent value for biodiversity, but could also be a key part of our healthcare systems.