Seeking and Finding Wholeness

Environmental Wellness has become more recognized as a great concern to the inhabitants our planet; for a good reason. This article aims at defining what Environmental Wellness is, what environment stands for, and what environmental relationships are.

What is environmental wellness? Environmental wellness refers to one’s relationship to their surroundings that affect humans’ wellness. It refers to living in harmony with earth by becoming aware of one’s interactions with nature and environment and the impact such interactions have.

What is environment? The word ‘environment’ here refers to one’s surroundings; starting at one’s immediate surroundings and expanding to the world around you, the planet as a whole, the space around our planet, and outer space.

Let’s break down the definition of environmental wellness into easily digestible points.

Environmental wellness means:

• Defining one’s relationship with the environment
• Defining one’s relationship with one’s personal surroundings (immediate surroundings)
• Define ‘environment’ as starting at one’s immediate surroundings, to the community, the planet, the space around our planet, as well as outer space
• Defining one’s environmental relationships (relation one has with everything that exists in one’s environment)
• Being aware of one’s interactions with nature, environment, and one’s personal environment
• Understanding the impact of one’s interactions with nature and one’s personal environment
• Understanding the correlation between the health of earth with our human wellness
• Protecting oneself from environmental hazards
• Minimizing the negative impact of one’s actions/behavior on the environment
• Seeking to lead a lifestyle that is respectful to our environment
• Caring for one’s personal possessions and personal space
• Caring for and appreciating nature.
• Seeking to live in harmony with environment by minimizing harm and maximizing positiveness
• Seeking to reach a balance in one’s relationships to environment (i.e everything in the universe)
• Environmental Wellness is one of the interconnected eight dimensions of wellness

Examples of commonly known environmental threats:

• Ultraviolet radiation
• Air pollution
• Chemicals
• Noise
• Water pollution
• Second-hand smoke
• Electromagnetic pollution

Examples of personal spaces:

• homes
• cars
• places of business

Types of environmental relationships – Defined relationships between humans and:

• species
• weather
• science
• religion
• cultural-social-political
• quantum physics
• health
• personal possessions
• etc…

Some components of one’s Environment are:

• Natural Resources
• The Air
• Water
• Noise
• Space
• Soil
• Furniture
• Food

Examples of commonly known steps to improve environmental wellness:

• Recycle: Use paper, glass, and aluminum recycling bins in your community
• Use recyclable material
• Ask stores, coffee shops, restaurants to use recyclable materials (do not use Styrofoam, use washable utensils)
• Take your own bag to the grocery store. Refuse to use store’s plastic/paper bags.
• Volunteer in your community
• Save water: Turn off the water when brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing the dishes.
• Help a stranger
• Install smoke detectors in your home.
• Conserve on gas
• Improves your home’s energy efficiency
• Do not waste
• Speak out
• Demand political change
• Be aware of everything you use, produce, buy, throw away. Think how it impacts the environment
• Educate yourself.

In a nutshell, environmental wellness means recognizing your individual responsibility and taking action to live in harmony with earth and the environment by understanding the impact of your interactions with environment and taking action to protect the environment.

Interconnectedness:

It is obvious that the seven dimensions of wellness are all interconnected. For instance, when our personal surroundings are well cared for, clean and organized, we experience a greater sense of comfort and satisfaction. It’s hard to feel good when your space is messy or disorganized.

Caring for our homes and other personal environments also helps us maintain a sense of personal care effecting our Emotional Wellness. It reminds us that we love ourselves.

On a larger scale, connecting with nature helps one feel more connected spiritually improving one’s Spiritual Wellness… Keeping environment well helps other humans and other species in turn improving Social Wellness. And the examples of interconnectedness will go on and on for ever.

When you become aware of your environmental wellness, you look at the world from a broad scale, from outside the box you live in, then it becomes hard not to get a sense of the bigger picture. The more aware you become, the more you will see and the more empowered you become.

Further Reading:

• http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/health_and_wellness/environmental_wellness.php
• http://www.scu.edu/wellness/Environmental-Health.cfm
• http://www.bsu.edu/wwrt/environmental.htm
• http://www.howardcc.edu/students/wellness_center/environmental.html