Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness is sustaining safe, clean, and healthy environments where we live, work and play. This includes something as simple as renewing your relationship with the earth. Below are some ideas of what environmental wellness means to our GV community.
Be Environmentally Well
6 Characteristics of Environmentally Well People
- Being aware of the limits of the earth's natural resources.
- Conserving energy (i.e. shutting off unused lights).
- Recycling paper, cans, and glass as much as possible.
- Enjoying and appreciating time outside in natural settings.
- Not polluting the air, water or earth.
- Creating home and work environments that are supportive and nurturing.
Improving Environmental Wellness
- Make your room a place where you feel comfortable, safe, and at ease in.
- Keep mementos of things that are important to you.
- Find time to explore nature.
- Unplug from technology.
Unplug and Get Outside
The benefits of getting away from screens and enjoying the outdoors are plentiful.
Spending time outside:
- Reduces fatigue
- Improves short-term memory
- Reduces stress
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves your ability to focus
- It may also increase your creativity, reduce experiences of depression and anxiety, and protect your vision.
Even in the cold Michigan winters it’s important to spend time outside!
Spaces for You
Environmental wellness also means finding spaces that you feel comfortable in. You may find comfort in a variety of locations around campus:
- The LGBT Resource Center
- The Center for Women and Gender Equity
- The Office of Multicultural Affairs
- The alcohol-free events offered by AOD
- The Rec Center
- Interfaith practice rooms
- The Library
- Or even with one of the many student organizations on campus!
Resources
On Campus
Find Accessible, Restroom and Wellness Room Information.
- Being in comfortable rooms is important to your wellness.
- Facilities has made a list of single-gender restrooms, accessible and gender-inclusive restrooms, rooms for nursing, baby changing table rooms, sharps container rooms, and interfaith reflection rooms.
Visit the Adaptive and Inclusive Recreation website
- Learn more about inclusion and accessibility in Recreation & Wellness programs.
- Find information on accessible equipment and facilities.
- Get involved in a wheelchair sporting event.
Visit the Office of Sustainability Practices website.
- Provides the GVSU community with the required skills and capabilities to become better stewards and responsible global citizens.
- Visit them for the "Recharge" room that includes swivel stools, a salt lamp, and phone charging stations!
- Offers the Sustainable Agriculture Project.
Visit the Outdoor Adventures website.
- A program of Recreation & Wellness.
- Aims to empower and inspire the GVSU community through outdoor and adventure-based opportunities and inspire life-long adventures.
- Check out the Climbing Center, the Ravines Center Bike Services, or equipment rental.
Visit the Student Success Coaching webpage.
- A program of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
- A Success Coach helps to empower students to develop skills for academic and personal success.
- They help with adjustments to being at a University, whether it is academic, personal, or cultural.
Off Campus
Visit the Department of Natural Resources for more information.
- Find state parks, trails, and other outdoor locations to visit.
- Discover outdoor activities, such as hiking or camping.
- Learn about environmental programs, covering topics such as astronomy and outdoor skills.
Visit the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan website.
- Identify ways to make your home safer and reduce environmental hazards.
- Address issues such as asthma, lead, mold, moisture, indoor air quality (i.e. radon, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter), pests, and accidental injuries.
- Volunteer to educate others and help make other homes safer environments for children.
Visit the West Michigan Environmental Action Council website.
- Learn about how to save energy, reduce waste, and conserve water.
- Find volunteer opportunities to care for the environment and educate others.
- Advocate for environmental justice and environmental action.
Online
Get the Environmental Wellness Toolkit from the National Institutes of Health.
- Learn about how the area around you may put your wellness at risk.
- Find strategies to improve your environmental health.
- Read about environmental wellness resources covering topics such as water safety, allergies, air quality, toxic gases, and weather conditions.
Get the JouleBug app.
- An app that promotes sustainable living through competition with friends.
- Receive points for engaging in habits that are good for the environment.
- Learn sustainability tips while earning achievements and tracking your progress.
Visit the National Safety Council website.
- Access a variety of programs to improve home safety.
- Find information to improve home safety for specific age groups, such as babies and toddlers or older adults.
- Review various safety topics to learn about safety tips and prevent injuries from occurring at home.
Explore from the comfort of your home with these virtual tours.
- Explore National Parks like Dry Tortugas, Carlsbad Caverns, the Kenai Fjords and the Hawaiian volcanoes with Google’s Hidden Worlds of the National Parks interactive exhibit.
- Walk through dozens of museums and galleries on a Museum Tour.
- Visit an Amusement Park from a rider’s point of view. For an extra adrenaline rush, try watching with virtual reality goggles.