Environmental wellness is all about the area you live in; your workspace and living space, this Earth, and the other places you spend the most time in. Being environmentally well means that you work to be organized and clean. It encourages you to spend time in places that are positive and uplifting. When you’re balanced in your environmental wellness, your immune system gets stronger and you’re much more productive in your day to day life.

There are two main parts to environmental wellness. The first being personal hygiene and cleanliness. This has more of a direct impact on personal health and wellness. The second part is your decisions that impact Mother Nature. This impacts your long-term quality of life and has a wider impact on other people. Both are equally important and have different effects on wellness in your life. Though these two seem like separate entities, they intertwine with each other in many ways. The choices you make in your personal cleanliness vs how to treat the Earth usually consider with each other. When you start respecting the way you keep your personal environment, you’ll begin seeing the bigger picture of respecting Earth and vise versa.

Respecting the Earth

When you think of the environment, you generally think of Earth, rightfully so. Respecting the Earth is crucial to living a productive and sustainable life. Regardless of beliefs on climate change and pollution, this is the only Earth that we have. It is incredibly important to take care of it because, without it, we have no other place to live. Maybe you find respect in Earth by joining an environmental movement, maybe it’s by using reusable bags at the grocery stores, or maybe it’s making an effort to recycle. There are countless means of respecting the Earth and though it may not be feasible to do every single thing possible, finding a few ways to actively contribute to protecting the Earth can make a huge difference.

When thinking about Earth it’s important to consider other people (& future generations), animals, plants, the ocean, etc. Your actions may seem small but they add up. One piece of trash in the ocean may seem small in the grand scheme of things but this adds up and it has been for years. So much so that there are trash islands in the middle of the ocean that are killing animals. The pollution from constantly driving has been building for years and eventually it will get to the point where just breathing in the air will be harmful to our health. Maybe it won’t impact you in this lifetime but it will impact your future family members and eventually be unchangeable. These things matter and every single person has the ability to make the difference this Earth needs and deserves.

Getting Enough Sunlight

Going along with respecting nature, it’s so important to get adequate amounts of sunlight. Sunshine provides many health benefits. Without it, it is easy to develop depression and sadness. Natural sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D which triggers many health responses in the body that help improve the quality of life. Getting out in nature is great for sunlight but it’s just as important to allow the natural light to shine into your work and living space. Artificial light impacts sleep, the eyes, the head, and more. Open up the curtains whenever you can rather than turning on the overhead lights.

How much sunlight you should get depends on the sensitivity of your skin. On average, you should get about 10-30 minutes of natural sunlight 4-5 times a week. This will vary based on the amount of exposure you receive and the time of day. Getting sunlight doesn’t have to be a challenge. You can go on hikes, workout outside, do your work outside, swim, go for a walk, tan, etc. There are many ways to get in the sun that are fun and engaging. This is a huge reason why respecting Earth is so important. When there is a lot of build-up of gas pollution, it is more difficult for the sun to shine through the ozone layers. Beyond that, it’s nice to be able to enjoy outdoors without foul odors or trash everywhere.

Keeping it Clean

It’s important to keep yourself clean, organized, and aware of your surroundings. This includes every area in your life; where you work, your living space, your bedroom, your car, etc. When you focus on keeping your area clean, you reduce dust and allergins while promoting health and productivity. Maintaining cleanliness is crucial because it saves time and makes life simple. When your space is clean you will feel more productive because you will have more energy, be happier, and feel more creative. It has been proven in offices that clean spaces reduce stress, improve focus and motivation, create more effective use of time, and reduces sick-days.

What exactly does “clean” mean? Well, it means staying organized so you know where everything is. There’s nothing less productive than looking for something that you misplaced or lost in the shuffle. Get rid of clutter that you no longer need. Reorganize your belongings so that everything has a place where it belongs. This also means reducing dust be regularly cleaning surface area. Creating a regular cleaning schedule can help reduce the overwhelm of having to clean everything all at once. It’s important to go to bed each night with a clean room and start each day with a made bed. Once you establish a solid cleaning routine, you will feel the benefits each day.

Be Mindful

Environmental wellness includes the products that you use on and around your body, as well as how you dispose of products. It’s easier said than done to get rid of every toxic item in your life, however, there are some chemicals and products that are causing more harm than good such as cleaning and hygiene products. Being aware of what you are using in the home and on your body is important because some of the chemicals can cause serious health issues in the future. Using natural products is a much more sustainable way of living. Using all-natural products isn’t always the most accessible way to live, so it’s important to look into the items you use on a day-to-day basis and try to eliminate the toxic ones to improve overall health.

Being mindful about products is important but it’s just as important to be mindful about how much waste you produce with those products. Choosing products that have less waste is the way to go when deciding on what use. Use products that have fewer plastic wrappings and materials that can be harmful to animals and the environment. Try to find items that are 100% reusable and/recyclable. Be mindful of the little things such as using a lot of aerosol products, items with microbeads, glitters, or non-disposable items that will end up in sewage.