People, in general, are more concerned with their health, wellbeing and the wellbeing of the planet than they’ve been 20-30 years ago. However, while most people still work on “curing” the problem, some starting to be more interested in prevention, especially Millennials! They are the ones who are leading the way towards a better tomorrow by promoting healthy eating, exercising, minimalist lifestyle and healthy and green life choices. So, let’s see exactly how will Millennials potentially save humanity and the planet.
Different healthcare opinions
One thing that separates Millennials from Gen Xers is that they grew up with the Internet and all the knowledge it contains. So, it’s not a surprise that they choose to take a different approach and have different expectations from medical care and medical workers. What Millennials want and need is better and faster communication between doctors and patients and cost-effective treatments that will solve their problems. No Millennial will be happy about being on hold with the doctor’s office! They demand email appointments and test results and text notifications instead phone calls and face-to-face meetings. As a matter of fact, almost 2/3 of Millennials want mobile apps that will allow them to make appointments and get information.
Healthy Millennials
Even though they grew up on instant meals, sugary drinks and a bunch of processed foods, now they realize that bad diet is one of the worst things for their health. As a matter of fact, they highly value healthy foods, nutritious drinks and regular exercise! Millennials try to sit less and move more, no matter if it’s yoga, cycling to work, jogging in the morning, CrossFit or hiking. Additionally, they are the generation that wants clean, organic food that came from local farms or was harvested or caught. They want farms and farmers, not factories and factory workers, and they want to get their products directly from people who grew and raised them. Also, vegetarian, vegan and pescatarian diets are becoming more and more prominent. Healthy food restaurants, healthy recipes and fitness blogs are simply blooming among Millennial population!
Attitude towards smoking
One of the most visible trends among Millennials is their extreme attitude towards smoking (and drinking), especially in the States. For instance, in 2013, 83% of young adults (Millennials) felt strongly about smoking and disapproved of adult smokers. So, Millennials are not only eating better and being more active, they are also smoking much less than the generation before them.
Environment conservation
Even though recycling and nature conservation has been present in the media for a while now, they are only recently becoming sort of a norm thanks to Millennials. No generation in history had that much technology that allowed them to actually see the impact people have on the environment and younger people just can’t let it stay this way. More than ever, people are ready to make a real effort towards nature conservation and global warming prevention and it’s mostly thanks to Millennials. They are not strangers to recycling, repurposing and especially Energy Star appliances and gadgets. That’s why manufacturers like LG are rapidly moving towards making all their products energy- and water-efficient. Most of LG items have an Energy Star label and different energy-saving modes of operation.
Minimalism and Millennials
Although minimalism isn’t a new concept, Millennials are the ones who brought it back from the dead and really embraced it. Because they appreciate different things than previous generations, they are very particular about how they spend money. Additionally, Millennials were sort of thrown into this turbulent job market, many with a huge amount of student debt. This means they HAVE to be very savvy about money and they chose to spend it on experiences instead of stuff! Many Millennials don’t buy in bulk and they don’t spend their free time shopping in malls. Their minimalist lifestyle also translates to housing! For instance, there are many interesting projects out there that promote tiny houses and extreme downsizing. All in all, being a minimalist Millennial means leading a simpler life that’s eco-friendly, green and self-sufficient but full of adventure, travel and diverse people!
Millennial work attitude
Millennials are also changing the way we perceive work and retirement. In the past, people worked until their retirement when they got to enjoy the fruits of their labor. However, Millennials don’t want to spend 50 years of their life stuck working a job they hate just to live to retirement. Their philosophy is: I want a job that is fulfilling now, so I don’t have to wait for retirement to feel alive! And if that means they will earn less, so be it! They travel more, invest their time in things that spark their interest and are willing to spend money on things that make them happy!
Today, people use the word Millennial almost as a dirty word for a young person who doesn’t want to work. But, as you can see, that is hugely unwarranted. Millennials are a generation that is much different from their predecessors and is trying to change the world and make it a better place. However, what they want the most is to become better, smarter and healthier people themselves! So, long live Millennials!
