Today is Earth Day, and an expert in Dallas County shares ways people can protect the environment.

Community Health Educator Natalie Peters explains that the Earth is reactive to how people treat it. She points out positive impacts individuals can make for the planet by participating in any physical activity outdoors, whether it’s running, walking, biking, or hiking. Peters highlights that getting fresh air is great for recharging the body, and that natural sunlight is healthy for growing crops.

She indicates that when the Earth is in poor condition, it can have negative effects on people including lung problems, cancer, kidney damage, be higher at risk for heart disease, as well as water-borne diseases being more prevalent. Peters list some steps to start with relating to preserving the planet we live on.

“Start by reducing, only buying what you need. And then reusing items means finding different ways to use things that you already have, and then recycling is when the life of an item has come to an end, you can use that as a last resort to help those materials be made into something new. Another thing you can do is really conserve energy and water. When you’re shopping for appliances, you can opt for some energy efficient appliances, you can try to use more sustainable transportation like biking or carpooling. Even just doing that once a week can really make a big difference.”

Peters names other ways to protect the environment around your own home featuring purchasing natural or organic lawn care products, properly discarding waste and hazardous materials, and addressing any leaks that occur inside a septic system.