Nicholas Harvey

Repurposing used items for another use. Reading rather than watching TV and use less electricity. Running rather than driving to decrease carbon emissions. 

I feel like when I walk or ride a bike to my destinations around New Paltz I am able to have a stronger connection with my surrounding community by interacting with people, taking in the beautiful scenery and having a less detrimental effect on the New Paltz environment. My experience is much more positive when I avoid driving my car around New Paltz because it allows me to absorb the natural environment and improve my mental state. The surrounding nature helps to calm me down and improve my stress levels allowing me to enjoy every day life.

By eating without distractions, I have been able to really appreciate the taste of foods and not overeat. Usually when I sit in front of a game and eat while watching I do not even realize how much I am eating. By practicing mindfulness, I have been able to notice how much food actually satisfies me and I tend to enjoy the taste of my food so much more.

On my daily walks I have noticed the surrounding nature and beauty of the New Paltz community. The fresh air, the birds chirping, and the beautiful landscape really helps to relieve a lot of the stress that is built up from schoolwork and baseball. An infrastructure change that I could implement into my daily routine that I believe could make my walks even more enjoyable would be to wake up ang take my walks earlier. Early mornings are the most peaceful time of the day and I feel that it could receive the greatest benefit by taking early morning walks. To start the day by clearing your mind and calming your nerves is a great start to the day. In addition, by starting the day earlier you have more time to be productive.