When we think about the word ‘sustainability’, what pops into our minds is the wellbeing of the planet and saving it from the climate crisis which is worsening daily. And quite rightly so! After all, if the entire planet is facing impending doom because of excessive consumption, pollution and waste—apart from a myriad of other reasons—then the wellbeing of Earth does become a big priority for our survival. Yet, the fact is, the environment impacts our health, and in recent years, we have indeed seen just how much worse health issues have become because of the state our planet is in.
The thing is, with health issues—from obesity and heart disease to asthma and malnutrition—being related to environmental causes more and more now, a closer look at how we go about treating these health problems is important. Why? What if the course of treatment you use for your health issues actually worsens the state of the planet? The result would inevitably be that the cycle of degrading environment leading to an increase in health issues leading to more demand for treatments (which may be unsustainable) will continue. This is the vicious circle that the concept of sustainable wellbeing hopes to overcome.
Understanding Sustainable Wellbeing
According to a 2020 study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health, sustainable wellbeing integrates the ideas of individual wellbeing and environmental wellbeing. “Sustainable wellbeing is achieved when improving individual wellbeing is correlated with improving the wellbeing of other members of society and the natural environment,” the study explains. The concept involves a framework where positive health education and environmental education are combined to explore and experience wellbeing that is sustainable for all.
This study and many other emerging ones suggest that sustainable wellbeing education should be imparted to people across all age groups, ethnicities and nations—and that it should involve not only activists, policymakers and adults, but also, and especially, children. By involving every human member of the biosphere in the process, the practices associated with sustainable wellbeing will have a broader, global impact that can not only help limit the climate crisis but also help humans create a better future.