Embarrassingly, this extremely important aspect of health was the last one to make the list. Considering the state of our planet this seems about right, doesn’t it?
A few years ago I attended a fitness retreat in Essex, Massachusetts. Essex is a charming little New England town about a half-hour north of Boston. It’s known for seafood, tourism and antiques. My wife and I had an unforgettable time there. Every morning we’d have our coffee on the steps of the quaint shingle-style inn, then take walks through the mossy forests down to the bay at low tide and wade through tidal pools. If you’ve never been there you really must go. It was beautiful and, for a country boy from the high desert mountains, it was momentous to see the lush greenery and diversity of life in the Essex bay.
The retreat was held in an adorable bed and breakfast where the owners and management of several gyms throughout the Boston area met to discuss the state of their gyms, their staff and the fitness world in general. It was a truly remarkable three days.
It was remarkable because the main owner of the gyms was a former hippie who moved from Salt Lake City to Boston in the late 60s to get more involved in the civil rights movement. Since the 60s, like most baby boomers, he left his nonconformist roots in the dust to become a ragingly successful capitalist. However, he hung on to certain aspects of his former free-spirited beginnings, like loud shirts and rollerblades. He was also a very active environmentalist.
What struck me most about the retreat was how environmentally conscious and aware the New Englanders were. We carpooled everywhere, doubled up in rooms, recycled everything, and left no trace when we were out in the forest. At one point in the retreat, we discussed the environment in ways I had never fully considered. Since it was a fitness retreat the speaker's related environmentalism directly to health in all ways.
That weekend sparked the thought in me that “environment” must be on the list of “8 Aspects of Health.” What I learned since that weekend was that our environment has three major components.
The human component - is composed of individuals, families & communities.
Nature component - which is air, water, land, and all living things.
Human-made components - which is a combination of many things both natural and human-created, like buildings, parks, bridges, roads, etc.
We are products of our environment. If any aspect of our environment is polluted, this will be reflected in our personal health as well as the health of our community. For example, if our human environment is polluted by toxic negativity then our personal health will suffer. If nature becomes polluted, either by us or other natural elements, our personal health will suffer. If human-made components like power lines, dams and roads overpower the natural elements of the earth it creates imbalances in the environment and our personal health will suffer.
How to Improve Environmental Health (Without Becoming a Full-Time Activist)
The goal isn’t perfection—it’s awareness and better choices.
Conscious Consumption
Start paying attention to what you bring into your life—food, products, even information. If it’s low quality, toxic, or disposable… it’s probably costing you somewhere.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (In That Order)
Recycling is fine. But the real win? Buying less junk in the first place. Use what you already have. Most people don’t need more—they need less.
Simplify Your Daily Habits
Use less water. Waste less energy. Cut down on single-use plastics. You don’t need to overhaul your life—just stop being careless with it.
Get Outside—Regularly
Walk. Hike. Sit in the sun. Touch grass (literally). Your body and brain still expect nature… even if your lifestyle forgot.
Be Part of Something Bigger
Join a cleanup. Support local efforts. Care about your community. Environmental health isn’t global theory—it’s local behavior.
Think Before You Choose
How you get around. What you buy. Where you spend money. These decisions add up fast. Start acting like they matter—because they do.
Clean Up Your Space (and Your Circle)
Clutter drains you. So do negative people. Build an environment that supports your health instead of quietly working against it.
Often we underestimate the importance of the environments we live in. Sometimes the smallest change to our environment can have a major impact on our positivity and outlook. I once had a client tell me she became successful with weight loss by making her bed each morning. She claimed the simple act of organizing her environment by making her bed set her on track to making more healthy changes throughout her day.
Even the smallest changes to any of the three components can have an exponentially positive effect on our own health and the health of society. I challenge you to commit today to discover different ways of organizing and cleaning up the environments you live in. Becoming more environmentally conscious and making even the smallest healthy changes to our environment will pay dividends to our future and to, perhaps, just as importantly, to future generations.