What is Environmental Wellbeing?
Environmental wellbeing or environmental wellness encompasses an approach to living that helps you to reconnect with the environment and improve your physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Environmental wellbeing strives for balance between people and nature, as you can see, its effects reach far beyond the physical surroundings. This means protecting natural resources and removing potentially harmful substances from our immediate surroundings.
Why is Environmental Wellness Important?
Environmental wellbeing is incredibly important because it helps us to protect our planet and ensure a safe, healthy future for generations to come.
Environmental wellness involves establishing good daily habits with our surroundings. This can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, conserve resources, protect biodiversity, and prevent the destruction of ecosystems.
5 benefits of environmental wellbeing
1. Improved physical health:
Environmental wellbeing encourages you to live a healthier lifestyle by reducing your exposure to toxins and pollutants, eating healthier foods, and engaging in more physical activity.
2. Greater emotional wellbeing:
Environmental wellbeing helps you to nurture a deeper connection with nature and the environment, which can improve your personal health, mental health and reduce stress. This will give you a more balanced lifestyle and less anxiety.
3. Increased creativity:
Environmental wellbeing encourages you to explore the world around you and create solutions for environmental issues. This can help stimulate your creativity and give you a greater sense of purpose.
4. Environmental conservation:
Environmental wellbeing helps you to be more mindful of the surroundings, leading to better decision-making and helping to reduce waste and conserve resources. Being environmentally aware and reducing excessive waste ensures we are making a positive impact on our natural world.
5. Environmentally aware lifestyle
Live a cleaner, greener lifestyle that is more sustainable and reduces your impact on your surroundings.
9 strategies for improving your environmental health
Reduce your allergies
Environmental allergens can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, and itchy eyes. By reducing the amount of dust, pet dander, pollen and mold in your personal surroundings you’ll be able to reduce your allergies.
Eat organic
Eating organic food helps to preserve our environment by limiting the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides. Organic foods are also healthier for your body and can reduce your risk of disease.
Grow your own food
Growing your own food is a great way to reduce the amount of toxins you’re exposed to while eating a nutritious diet. Planting an organic garden allows you to take control over what goes into your meals.
Stay safe during hot weather
Heat-related illnesses are a serious risk in hot weather. To stay safe, drink plenty of water, wear light and loose clothing, limit your outdoor activities during the hottest hours of the day, and take breaks when you can. Make it a habit to have a water bottle with you wherever you go, so that you can avoid dehydration.
Guard against cold weather
Cold weather can be dangerous for your health. Wear layers of clothing to keep warm, cover exposed skin, drink warm beverages, and take breaks when you start to feel cold.
Choose green transportation
Choosing an environmentally friendly form of transportation helps reduce air pollution and contributes to a healthier environment overall. Try walking or biking instead of driving, or invest in a hybrid or electric vehicle. Instead of buying bottles of water reuse a water bottle.
Air quality and your well being
Air pollution has been linked to numerous health problems including heart disease and asthma. By reducing pollution with strategies such as carpooling, using public transportation or cycling, you’ll be able to improve your health and the environment.
Conserve water
Water conservation helps to reduce the amount of water that is wasted and can lead to a healthier environment. Simple strategies such as turning off taps when not in use, collecting rainwater, and using greywater can help you conserve water.
Spend time in nature
Take some time each day to connect with nature and appreciate its beauty. Whether it’s taking a walk in the park or spending time gardening, nature can be a powerful source of healing and wellbeing.
Support local businesses
Supporting local businesses instead of large corporations is one of the easiest and most effective ways to help the environment.
By shopping locally, you’ll be supporting sustainable practices and helping to reduce your carbon footprint.
Clear out toxins in your home
Reducing the amount of toxins in your home can help reduce allergies, improve air quality, and create a healthier environment. Start by cleaning out your cabinets and eliminating products with harsh chemicals.
Final thoughts on environmental wellbeing
By following these strategies you’re taking small steps towards improving both your personal wellbeing and the environment around you. We can have a healthy environment when we maintain equilibrium between people and nature.
Taking the time to focus on your environmental health is key to achieving a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle.
So go ahead and get started! Your environment will thank you for it.
