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Take a walk on the wild side
Sometimes I think we are too far removed from nature — from seeing animals in the wild, rarely feeling the earth under our feet. At times I get a real craving to take off my shoes and walk around my local park, stubbing my big toe on tree roots, stepping on spiky twigs and sinking my feet into the soggy grass. It might look weird but who cares? It can’t all be polished concrete and kilim rugs all of the time.
That’s why I was super curious to learn about the programme run by the Finnish city of Lahti, which is pioneering what it’s calling ‘planetary health’ as part of its healthcare offering. But what is planetary health? It is where human health and the planet’s welfare link up: taking care of one looks after the other. The impact of the environment on people’s health is well known: according to the WHO, almost one in four of all deaths are linked to environmental conditions.
But can everyday ecological choices have a direct impact on our health?
This summer, Lahti invited a group of locals to try a planetary health plan to see if making greener choices could also be good for their health. In June 2022, five locals received personalised health plans created by Finland’s first Planetary Health Physician Dr Hanna Haveri and followed her recommendations for two months. Their carbon emissions and overall health were mapped before and after the…
