When Sustainability Meets Wellbeing: Five lifestyle shifts that lower your carbon footprint while improving your health
The health of humans and the health of our planet are tightly connected; an unhealthy planet negatively impacts human health.1 In honour of Earth Day 2026, let’s explore five actions you as an individual can take that improve your health as well as the health of our planet.
1. Opt for active commuting
Walking, biking, running and other forms of self-powered travel are collectively referred to as active commuting or active transportation. Active commuting rather than driving offers substantial health and environmental benefits. Active commuters have lower risks of heart disease, cancer, and mental health conditions.2 This is not surprising, as time spent walking, biking, and running contributes to Canada’s recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity.3 From an environmental perspective, active commuting can substantially cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. As an example, replacing a single car trip with cycling four times a week can reduce yearly emissions by approximately 0.5 tons of CO₂, depending on length of commute and vehicle type.4 This is a meaningful change; based on average single vehicle emissions,5 this represents about a 10% reduction. Active commuting can also be a time-efficient way to fit in exercise, replacing sedentary time sitting in traffic with time spent moving your body. While it may require some upfront investment in good walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, or cycling gear, it can help reduce ongoing costs like gas and parking.
Practical Tips:
- Plan your route ahead of time to choose the safest option and so you know what to expect.
- Take public transit, when possible.
- Park farther away from your destination, and walk or bike the rest of the way.
- Consider buying a bike rack or a bike carrier for ease of transporting items.
- If commuting to work, keep a few essentials at your workplace, such as a spare shirt, deodorant, or face cloth.
- Check whether your workplace has shower facilities and secure bike storage.
- Walk children to school, daycare, or extracurricular activities
- Walk or bike to your own social and recreational activities.
- Check out this resource from the David Suzuki Foundation for more practical tips.
2. Eat more plant-based proteins
The foods we eat can have a profound impact on our health and the environment.6-8 One dietary change that has consistently demonstrated reductions in carbon emissions and improved health is eating more plant protein in lieu of animal-based protein. This doesn’t mean adopting a completely vegan or vegetarian diet; even swapping some animal-based meals for plant-based alternatives can help. Not all animal proteins contribute the same to greenhouse emissions – red meat is the greatest contributor, and thus if you consume it regularly, reducing red meat consumption can have a significant environmental benefit. The well-studied and popular Mediterranean diet, which has consistently been shown to reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes, aligns well with a more sustainable and plant-forward approach.9
Practical Tips:
- Try swapping one animal-containing meal per week for a plant-based meal.
- Try swapping ground beef for ground turkey, ground chicken, or crumbled firm tofu.
- Use meat as a flavor boost rather than the main ingredient—add beans or lentils to round out the protein.
- For recipe ideas, here are some of my favourite plant-based sources of inspiration: Minimalist baker, Rainbow Plant Life, and Love and Lemons.
3. Eat less ultra-processed food
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are foods that have been heavily modified through industrial processing. They often contain ingredients extracted from whole foods or substances created in factories. This is different from minimally processed foods, which mainly use whole ingredients and simple processing methods (e.g., dried pasta or canned lentils). You might think you don’t eat UPF, but it’s very common – most protein bars, store-bought sweets, and fast foods are ultra-processed. Eating UPFs has consistently been linked to worse health, including increased risk of cancer, heart disease, mental illness, diabetes, and obesity.10 There are various reasons for this; UPFs are usually lower in vitamins, minerals, and fiber while being higher in sugars, salt, and saturated fat. Although they are not always higher in calories, UPFs are easier to overeat because of how tasty they are. One study found that people over-ate by 500 calories per day when UPFs were consumed, compared with people eating minimally processed foods, even when the meals were matched for calories.11 This also contributes to obesity risk.10 Additives, like artificial sweeteners, emulsifiers, colouring and flavouring agents can have direct negative effects such as changes to the gut microbiome. It’s important to acknowledge that these foods are often less expensive and more convenient than unprocessed and minimally processed foods, which means people with lower income may be disproportionately impacted. It’s a reminder that health is shaped by many factors beyond individual choices.
UPFs have also been linked with environmental sustainability concerns, including greater greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use, and biodiversity loss.12-14 This is partly because they often require industrial-scale farming, high-energy processing, long-distance transport, and packaging materials like plastic, which increases their environmental footprint compared with minimally and unprocessed foods.
Practical Tips:
- Buy mostly whole and minimally processed foods. Often these are found around the perimeter of grocery stores (produce, dairy, meat, seafood), though many nutritious foods are found in interior aisles such as pasta, quinoa, canned fish, canned legumes, and olive oil.
- Check ingredient lists: if you see ingredients you don’t recognize, there’s a good chance it’s ultra-processed.
- Eat more home-cooked meals instead of take-out, fast-food, or restaurant meals.
4. Start meal planning
Meal planning has many potential benefits. It can save money, reduce reliance on convenience foods, and cut down on food waste. People who meal plan seem to have better health, which may be due to eating a more diverse and nutritious diet,15 as opposed to take-out or packaged foods. Meal planning can also have environmental benefits because it reduces food waste.16 Food waste is estimated to account for about 6% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions each year.17 When food is thrown away, the resources used to grow, process, and transport it are wasted (e.g., use of land, water, fertilizer, energy). In addition, throwing away food creates greenhouse gas emissions as it is transported and breaks down in a landfill (composting is better, but not perfect). By helping people buy only what they need and use what they already have, meal planning reduces food waste and supports both personal and environmental health.
Practical Tips:
- Before buying food, plan out your main meals and write down the ingredients you will need to make them.
- When you make your plan, consider what food you already have on hand that might soon go bad, and build from there.
- Eat the food that will spoil sooner. For example, kale will wilt in a couple days, while carrots will be fine for weeks.
- Read more about reducing food waste, and tips on storing food to keep it fresh from the David Suzuki Foundation.
5. Embrace minimalism
Consumerism and overconsumption are drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, with high income countries contributing a disproportionately larger amount.18,19 Industries such as fashion, electronics, vehicles, appliances, and toys are associated with high and increasing carbon footprints.18,20 CO2 emissions are generated across the life cycle of consumer products, including raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal.21 While we all need some “stuff”, many of us buy and replace items more than we need to. This can include ‘fast fashion’ clothing worn for only one event or season, upgrading electronics like smart phones when older devices still work or could be repaired, replacing cars earlier than necessary, or buying more toys than a child or pet reasonably needs. Small changes in how often we buy and replace items can make a meaningful difference.
How does this relate to individual health? Most evidence suggests that reduced consumption is associated with greater well-being when basic needs are met and the reduction is voluntary.22,23 On the flip side, materialism has been associated with substantially lower wellbeing.24 The reasons why more minimalist lifestyles and mindful consumption may benefit mental health and wellbeing are varied and not yet fully understood, but may include a greater sense of control and freedom, reduced stress and anxiety related to clutter and decision-making, improved focus, increased financial flexibility, more time for meaningful pursuits and leisure, and environmental or ethical satisfaction.22,25
Practical Tips:
- Try repairing broken electronics like vacuums, TVs, computers, and phones, rather than replacing them when something goes awry.
- Buy second-hand when possible (e.g., Facebook marketplace, Kijiji, vintage and pre-loved clothing stores)
- Gift experiences over physical items.
- For items you may only need occasionally (e.g., a cake stand, costume party or a camping tent), consider renting or borrowing from a friend or family member.
- Take care of what you already own to extend the lifespan of items and reduce waste.
- Challenge yourself to purchase more mindfully, by pausing to consider whether you need the new item before buying.
- Sell or donate items rather than throwing them away (many cities have “buy nothing” groups on Facebook where you can post items).
Personal changes to improve the health of our environment are often framed as a collective action problem – why change if others don’t? By highlighting the health co-benefits of sustainable choices and the impacts of small, consistent changes, I hope it shows that these actions can improve both personal well-being and broader environmental goals.
Follow the Patterson Institute for Integrative Oncology Research on socials for more:
Ellen Conte is a naturopathic doctor and clinical researcher dedicated to supporting people with cancer through integrative care. She offers supportive cancer care in her clinical practice and is an associate researcher with the Patterson Institute for Integrative Oncology Research. Ellen obtained her Doctor of Naturopathy from The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, completed residency at the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre, and is a Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Oncology. Ellen is a regular at active commuting (often with a triple stroller in tow) and serves tofu and lentils on a weekly rotation—to her husband’s mild disappointment.
References
- Whitmee S, Haines A, Beyrer C, et al. Safeguarding human health in the Anthropocene epoch: report of The Rockefeller Foundation Commission on planetary health. The Lancet. 2015;386(10007):1973-2028. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60901-1
- Friel C, Walsh D, Whyte B, et al. Health benefits of pedestrian and cyclist commuting: evidence from the Scottish Longitudinal Study. BMJ Public Health. 2024;2(1):e001295. doi:10.1136/bmjph-2024-001295
- Ross R, Chaput JP, Giangregorio LM, et al. Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older: an integration of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. Oct 2020;45(10 (Suppl. 2)):S57-s102. doi:10.1139/apnm-2020-0467
- Millard-Ball A, Reginald M, Yusuf Y, Bian C. Global health and climate benefits from walking and cycling infrastructure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. Jun 17 2025;122(24):e2422334122. doi:10.1073/pnas.2422334122
- United States Environmental Protection Agency. Greenhouse Gas Emissions from a Typical Passenger Vehicle. 2025. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle
- Rockström J, Thilsted SH, Willett WC, et al. The EAT Lancet Commission on healthy, sustainable, and just food systems. The Lancet. 2025;406(10512):1625-1700. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01201-2
- Dixon KA, Michelsen MK, Carpenter CL. Modern Diets and the Health of Our Planet: An Investigation into the Environmental Impacts of Food Choices. Nutrients. Jan 30 2023;15(3)doi:10.3390/nu15030692
- Aleksandrowicz L, Green R, Joy EJ, Smith P, Haines A. The Impacts of Dietary Change on Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use, Water Use, and Health: A Systematic Review. PloS one. 2016;11(11):e0165797. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0165797
- Guasch-Ferré M, Willett WC. The Mediterranean diet and health: a comprehensive overview. Journal of internal medicine. Sep 2021;290(3):549-566. doi:10.1111/joim.13333
- Lane MM, Gamage E, Du S, et al. Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. Bmj. Feb 28 2024;384:e077310. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-077310
- Hall KD, Ayuketah A, Brychta R, et al. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metab. Jul 2 2019;30(1):67-77.e3. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008
- Leite FHM, Khandpur N, Andrade GC, et al. Ultra-processed foods should be central to global food systems dialogue and action on biodiversity. BMJ Glob Health. Mar 2022;7(3)doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2021-008269
- Berden J, Hanley-Cook GT, Chimera B, et al. Quantifying the environmental and food biodiversity impacts of ultra-processed foods: evidence from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Public Health Nutr. Sep 11 2025;28(1):e164. doi:10.1017/s1368980025101067
- García S, Pastor R, Monserrat-Mesquida M, et al. Ultra-processed foods consumption as a promoting factor of greenhouse gas emissions, water, energy, and land use: A longitudinal assessment. Sci Total Environ. Sep 15 2023;891:164417. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.164417
- Ducrot P, Méjean C, Aroumougame V, et al. Meal planning is associated with food variety, diet quality and body weight status in a large sample of French adults. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. Feb 2 2017;14(1):12. doi:10.1186/s12966-017-0461-7
- David Suzuki Foundation. Help end food waste. Accessed March 31, 2026, https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/help-end-food-waste/
- Amicarelli V, Lagioia G, Bux C. Global warming potential of food waste through the life cycle assessment: An analytical review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review. 2021/11/01/ 2021;91:106677. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2021.106677
- Ivanova D, Stadler, K., Steen-Olsen, K., Wood, R., Vita, G., Tukker, A., Hertwich, E. Environmental Impact Assessment of Household Consumption. Journal of Industrial Ecology. 2015;20(3):526-536.
- Hertwich EG, Peters GP. Carbon footprint of nations: a global, trade-linked analysis. Environ Sci Technol. Aug 15 2009;43(16):6414-20. doi:10.1021/es803496a
- Niinimäki K, Peters G, Dahlbo H, Perry P, Rissanen T, Gwilt A. The environmental price of fast fashion. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. 2020/04/01 2020;1(4):189-200. doi:10.1038/s43017-020-0039-9
- United States Environmental Protection Agency. Climate Change and the Life Cycle of Stuff. Accessed March 24, 2026, https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/climatechange/climate-change-and-life-cycle-stuff_.html
- Vollebregt M, Mugge R, Thürridl C, van Dolen W. Reducing without losing: Reduced consumption and its implications for well-being. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2024/03/01/ 2024;45:91-103. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.12.023
- Rich SA, Hanna, S., Wright, B. J., & Bennett, P.C. . Fact or fable: Increased wellbeing in voluntary simplicity. International Journal of Wellbeing. 2017;7(2):64-77.
- Dittmar H, Bond R, Hurst M, Kasser T. The relationship between materialism and personal well-being: A meta-analysis. J Pers Soc Psychol. Nov 2014;107(5):879-924. doi:10.1037/a0037409
- Lloyd K, Pennington, W. Towards a Theory of Minimalism and Wellbeing. International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology. 2020;5:121-136.
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