Been feeling a little sad lately? You may be suffering from seasonal depression. Formally known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it is a type of depression that follows a seasonal pattern most often during the fall and winter months. The exact cause of SAD is not fully understood, but it is thought that shorter days and less sunlight may trigger a chemical change in the brain, leading to symptoms of depression.
The cure? One solution is to declutter your life. With the emergence of warmer weather, now is the time to start thinking about getting your home and neighborhood ready for the spring and summer months ahead. But as temperatures rise and more Wimberley residents are gearing up to spend time outside, where do you start? Glad you asked.
The City of Wimberley and Keep Wimberley Beautiful are hosting a Community Clean Up Day in April in conjunction with the Great American Cleanup, a national campaign through Keep America Beautiful. This campaign typically spans from March 1 to May 31 and includes cleanup activities such as beautifying parks and recreation areas, picking up litter, removing graffiti, planting trees, or anything that involves keeping Wimberley beautiful! And yes, KWB can indirectly contribute to your improved mental health through initiatives such as this that promote community engagement and social connection, beautification, and access to nature, which have been shown to enhance mood and provide a sense of well-being.
So, pay attention to your 3 R’s. No, not reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic, but reduce, reuse, and recycle. The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Making a new product emits greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and requires a lot of materials and energy. As a result, reduction and reuse are the most effective ways you can save natural resources, protect the environment, and save money. One place to start is with the City of Wimberley’s Community Cleanup Day on Saturday April 12, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (or when full) in the Lions Club Market Day Parking Lot. You can drop off large items at the dumpsters or recycle metal.
