The team at Natural Awakenings NYC and Long Island editions want to hear from our readers on a variety of pressing issues related to health and wellness and the environment in our New York City and Long Island communities. “It’s important for us to keep our finger on the pulse of our local healthy living community,” explains Michael Lehrman, Natural Awakenings co-publisher. “Our editorial team met and decided we want to know what’s most pressing to you, our readers, in this arena. We’re going to start featuring an op-ed page each month to highlight topics that are near and dear to your heart.”

This page will feature several 300 to 450-word opinion editorials with possible topics ranging from navigating the world post-covid era, healthy sexual expression and global peace and unity, to conscious consumerism, plant medicines and toxic waterways. “We also want to know about ‘local heroes’ doing great things in the community and concerns about issues surrounding environmental impact in your neighborhood and county,” affirms Lehrman. “You can also send shout outs about your local elected officials for the great things they do to promote personal and planetary health or, alternatively, raise concerns about the action steps they’ve taken or not.” 

Other topics of interest could include the removal of trees in the neighborhood, urban gardens, beach erosion, chemical pollution, landfills, car traffic, noise pollution, migrants, homelessness, crime, low-income housing, covid vaccines and masking, electric bikes and bikeways, protests in the city, school lunch programs, food deserts, farming, LGBTQ initiatives and clubs and mindfulness, to name a few. 

“A conversation is all that’s needed to spark a movement,” proposes Natural Awakenings editor, Erin Lehn.  “If we’re feeling inspired to advocate for a cause, or suggest to others an alternative, healthier view of operating in the world, with the intent on making the world a better place, we want to open that dialogue and get the conversation started. If you feel strongly about any of the above issues in our local community, share your views with us so we can bring more awareness to these matters while promoting hope and optimism in finding ways that we could do it better.”

For more information, or to submit your proposal, email Michael Lehrman at [email protected].