We often think about health in terms of food, exercise, sleep and medical care. But there is another important part of the picture: the environment around us.
The air we breathe, the water we use, the cleanliness of our surroundings, the way waste is managed and the safety of the places where we live and work can all influence our health. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), environmental risks are linked to a significant proportion of deaths globally, and many of these risks can be reduced through preventive action. (World Health Organization)
What does “environment” mean?
Your environment is more than the outdoors. It includes your home, workplace, school, neighbourhood and other places where you spend time. It also includes factors such as:
- Air quality
- Drinking water
- Sanitation and hygiene
- Waste management
- Exposure to smoke, chemicals and other pollutants
- Heat and other climate-related conditions
- The safety and quality of buildings and public spaces
These factors can affect both individual and community health. (World Health Organization)
1. The air around you matters
Air pollution can come from sources such as vehicle emissions, industrial activity, smoke and household combustion. Both indoor and outdoor air pollution can affect the respiratory system and contribute to other health problems. WHO identifies air pollution as one of the major environmental risks to health. (World Health Organization)
Where possible, reduce exposure to smoke and fumes, improve ventilation and avoid burning waste in or around living spaces.
2. Safe water protects health
Water is essential, but water that is contaminated can contribute to illness. Safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene are important foundations of good health. Unsafe water and poor sanitation can contribute to diseases including diarrhoeal illnesses. (World Health Organization)
At home, practical steps include keeping drinking water in clean, covered containers, using safe water sources and keeping storage containers clean.
3. Clean surroundings matter
Poorly managed waste and unclean surroundings can create conditions that contribute to disease and environmental hazards. Keeping living spaces clean, disposing of waste appropriately and preventing stagnant water from accumulating can help create safer surroundings.
Community health also depends on shared responsibility. A clean home surrounded by an unhealthy environment is still part of a wider community system.
4. Your environment can affect more than physical health
A healthy environment is also connected to wellbeing and quality of life. Noise, overcrowding, unsafe spaces, extreme heat, poor housing conditions and other environmental pressures can affect how people live, work, rest and interact with others.
Creating healthier environments therefore requires more than individual choices. Communities, institutions and governments all have roles to play in reducing environmental risks. (World Health Organization)
What can you do?
You may not be able to control every environmental factor around you, but you can take practical steps where possible:
- Keep your living space clean and adequately ventilated.
- Avoid unnecessary exposure to smoke and harmful fumes.
- Store drinking water safely.
- Practise good hand and personal hygiene.
- Dispose of waste responsibly.
- Keep surroundings free from avoidable stagnant water.
- Pay attention to environmental hazards at home, work and school.
- Speak up about environmental conditions that could put your community at risk.
A healthier environment supports healthier people
Health does not begin only when we visit a hospital. Prevention also means paying attention to the conditions in which we live.
Cleaner air, safer water, better sanitation, healthier surroundings and safer communities can all contribute to better health and wellbeing.
The environment around us matters. And creating healthier environments is a shared responsibility.
VitaGuardia Wellbeing Foundation
Promoting Sustainable Health and Wellbeing
Sources
World Health Organization – Environmental Health
https://www.who.int/health-topics/environmental-health
World Health Organization – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
https://www.who.int/health-topics/water-sanitation-and-hygiene-wash
World Health Organization – Air Pollution
https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution
World Health Organization – Healthy Environments for Healthier Populations
https://www.who.int/publications-detail-redirect/WHO-CED-PHE-DO-19.01