To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of World Earth Day, we wanted to share our top 10 habits to adopt during and after Covid-19 lockdown.
Feel inspired to adopt these positive new lifestyle changes from here on.

1. Appreciate Our Lucky Country
Australia is truly a unique place, and what better way to appreciate it then explore it.
With more than 8 million tourists flocking to our country each year, we can embrace the fact that our special places will be less crowded from overseas visitors this year and open for local business #holidayathome.

2. Continue Your Micro Adventures
It’s important to notice the small things and with a micro adventure you take in the world around you from a new perspective.
Some of our ideas include: Taking a full moon hike; backyard camping; meteor shower watching and star gazing. Follow our Facebook Page for weekly adventures.

3. Grow Your Own Food
You don’t need to be a Quarter Acre Farm right away you can start by growing your own herbs and vegetables in pots. Herbs such as mint, rosemary, thyme and parsley all grow well in the Southern Highlands.
Check out how to create a Kitchen Garden from The Fold Southern Highlands and follow Humans Who Grow Food for some inspiration.

4. Travel From Your Living Room
We all know taking a trip to tick an item off your bucket list will be a priority for you after this lock down, however to preserve the Earth, try and appreciate the world from afar through virtual tours such as seeing the 12 Apostles in Australia, experiencing the Northern Lights, or exploring America’s National Parks.

5. Embrace the Pause
When we pause and reflect, we learn. Although we’ve been forced into a pause at the moment, it’s a good opportunity to continue these habits and focus on what is really important in life and maintain a positive mental health. This key aspect of life is a way to nourish the mind and soul.

6. Support Local
We have seen a rise in communities coming together to shop local to keep their favourite businesses alive. It’s essential we maintain this across Australia to keep local jobs and skills.
There has never been a better time to buy and use Australian.

7. Stay in Touch
At this time we are using technology to stay in contact loved ones and friends. Some of these people we might not have usually have talked to each week so why not continue to use technologies to keep in contact with loved ones more often.

8. Challenge Yourself
Many things have come to light during this lockdown, including your own personal abilities. Rather than taking the bus to work, walk if you can. Ride your bike to the shops, or park further away. Not everyone can run a marathon first go, but its important to start somewhere and achieve your goals. For those adrenaline junkies out there, check out some activities to feed this urge during lockdown, such as The Floor is Lava!

9. Focus on Food
We have been practising our cooking skills and now we challenge you focus even more on reducing your food waste. In Australia alone, more than 5 million tonnes of food ends up as landfill, enough to fill 9,000 Olympic sized swimming pools. Launched in 2018 (in the Southern Highlands), the The Love Food Hate Waste program has challenged business in the area to reduce waste, and now you can learn how to focus on your food at home.

10. Be Part of Our Global Clean Up
As you’v been decluttering your house (because you’ve got nothing else to do), why not take this energy a step further by participating in the Great Global Clean Up – when out walking the streets, pick up that rubbish on the side of the road or on your favourite bush track. Be proud of your country and your community and keep it as beautiful as it can be.