The Value of Nature

Although nature has always had intrinsic value in our eyes, every outdoor experience makes it even more true. Mother nature provides us food, water and other resources if we know where to look for them. This is why it’s so important for us to look after her as well – without it human kind wouldn’t exist.

Today, the 29th of July, is the Earth Overshoot Day which means that on this day we humans have exceeded Earth’s capacity to regenerate natural resources this year. In Finland the day was a lot sooner, in the 5th of April. We as Finns are a rather privileged people, which makes you think about how you could use your position for good. Though it’s said that a single individual doesn’t matter, if 7,7 billion individuals decide to make a change for better, it’s a huge effect.

You’ve probably heard the basic tips for greener lifestyle, such as recycling, eating more plant-based and travelling less by airplane, but sometimes you forget these things on a vacation. Reminding yourself, that tourism is one of the biggest polluters, is super important while choosing your travel destination, how you’ll get there and what are the activities you’re going to do.

There are many gorgeous places right next to you, you really don’t have to go that far to find something new and exciting – and even a little exotic! For us, Åland feels like cycling abroad, even though it is a part of Finland. Riding a bike is a really great way of travelling: you’ll be able to sense the nature in a whole new way and your condition gets better. With an e-bike you’ll be able to ride a bit longer distances easier, which makes it a considerable option for a motorcycle or even for a car. Charging the bikes with solar energy is what makes us really happy since it’s a perfect way of reducing our carbon footprint on this journey.

While more plant-based eating is definitely the future for humans, locally produced food and all that you can collect from the wilderness shouldn’t be forgotten – and of course these don’t exclude each other. For us collecting food and fishing are important part of our meals on the road. It’s also fun to roam around and get thrilled when you find an amazing blueberry spot or catch a pretty perch.

When we ordinary people demand for more sustainable and eco-friendly products, big companies are forced to change their harmful ways. There’s so much we can do to move the date of the Earth Overshoot Day forward, and hopefully one day the Overshoot Day is just a part of history.