These days, most people would agree that environmental wellness is important. Not only do you need to take care of your wellbeing, but that of the planet and everything and everyone in it. That said, sometimes it can be difficult knowing where to start with environmental wellness. Do you need to join some sort of organisation or get politically involved to help the planet? Of course not. You can help the world in which you live simply by leading an environmentally conscious life.
Firstly, let’s check out where you’re at with environmental wellness. Ask yourself the following questions. If the answer is “always or almost always” give yourself two points. If you answer “sometimes or occasionally” award yourself one point. If your answer is “seldom or never” give yourself no points. Answer each question as honestly as you can, and tally up your points at the end to get your environmental wellness score.
- Do you conserve energy (i.e., switching off unused lights)?
- Do you recycle paper, cans, and glass as much as possible?
- Do you enjoy spending time outside in natural settings?
- Do you avoid polluting the air, water or earth when possible?
- Do you avoid second-hand smoke?
- Do you consciously try to conserve fuel energy and to lessen the pollution in the atmosphere?
- Do you limit the use of fertilisers and chemicals when managing your outdoor living space?
- Do you avoid using aerosol sprays?
- Do you avoid littering?
- Do you volunteer your time for environmental conservation projects?
Score: 15 to 20 Points – Excellent strength in environmental wellness – well done!
Score: 9 to 14 Points – There is room for improvement, but you’re still putting in the effort and that’s what counts. What changes can you make to improve your score?
Score: 0 to 8 Points – So you may need a bit of help to improve your environmental wellness. Why not challenge yourself to begin making small steps toward growth here?
Whether you got 0 points or 20, we’ve got some tips to help you improve your environmental wellness:
1. Spread the word: No matter what you scored on our quiz, you can talk to people about environmental wellness. Speak to your friends and family about the importance of leading an environmentally-aware lifestyle, and get involved with your community’s recycling programmes. Try implementing a recycling programme in your home or workplace if you haven’t got one already, or make sure your existing programmes are as efficient as they can be.
2. Stop your junk mail: You receive so much unwanted junk mail every year, which wastes paper as well as being irritating. Contact the major senders of junk mail saying “take me off your list.” Try stopjunk.com or privatecitizen.com for the major players, or contact senders individually. If you receive catalogues from shops you love, email and ask to be taken off this sending list – everything is viewable online these days anyway!
3. Snip your six-pack rings: As six-pack holders are virtually invisible underwater, it’s all-too-easy for seagulls to strangle themselves by catching their neck in a loop while another loop gets snagged on a stationary object. Make sure you snip each circle with a pair of scissors before you throw them in the recycling.
4. Don’t leave your water running: Doing the washing up with the tap running can use an average of 30 gallons of water, or three to five gallons of water per minute. The same goes for brushing your teeth, washing your car or watering your garden. Only turn the tap on when you actually need the water to run, or fill the sink or a bowl with water to minimise the damage.