IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jchals/v14y2023i1p16-d1088078.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Nature Connection: Providing a Pathway from Personal to Planetary Health

Author

Listed:
  • John Zelenski

    (Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada)

  • Sara Warber

    (Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
    Nova Institute for Health, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA)

  • Jake M. Robinson

    (College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia)

  • Alan C. Logan

    (Nova Institute for Health, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA)

  • Susan L. Prescott

    (Nova Institute for Health, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
    Medical School, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia
    Family and Community Medicine, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
    ORIGINS Project, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA 6009, Australia)

Abstract

The vast and growing challenges for human health and all life on Earth require urgent and deep structural changes to the way in which we live. Broken relationships with nature are at the core of both the modern health crisis and the erosion of planetary health. A declining connection to nature has been implicated in the exploitative attitudes that underpin the degradation of both physical and social environments and almost all aspects of personal physical, mental, and spiritual health. It is increasingly clear that the entwined challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, and human health cannot be addressed without addressing selfishness, greed, apathy, and the value systems that created these global problems. Calls for a spiritual and cultural transformation recognize that “inner” development is important and necessary for meaningful “outward” transitions with a shared purpose for wiser, more sustainable societies. Many of these emotional and spiritual assets appear to be facilitated by a connection to nature, which is also strongly associated with community cohesion, prosocial attitudes, and pro-environmental actions. Restoring the human connection to nature may therefore provide a critical common pathway to promote the physical and spiritual wellbeing of individuals and communities as well as personal and social environmental responsibility. In this paper, we summarize and reflect on the discussions of the Nova Network planetary health community with respect to nature-based solutions as pathways to promote both personal and planetary health with a more mutualistic mindset. These discussions spanned biological to psychological interactions with nature—including the critical relationships with environmental microbes that influence the physical, emotional, and behavioral aspects of health. We consider the ways in which stronger relationships with nature promote “inner assets” to support “outward actions” for personal and planetary health.

Suggested Citation

  • John Zelenski & Sara Warber & Jake M. Robinson & Alan C. Logan & Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Nature Connection: Providing a Pathway from Personal to Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-23, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:14:y:2023:i:1:p:16-:d:1088078
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/14/1/16/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2078-1547/14/1/16/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anastasia Gkargkavouzi & George Halkos & Steriani Matsiori, 2019. "A Multi-dimensional Measure of Environmental Behavior: Exploring the Predictive Power of Connectedness to Nature, Ecological Worldview and Environmental Concern," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(2), pages 859-879, June.
    2. Gregory E Miller & Phillip A Engen & Patrick M Gillevet & Maliha Shaikh & Masoumeh Sikaroodi & Christopher B Forsyth & Ece Mutlu & Ali Keshavarzian, 2016. "Lower Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Associated with Reduced Diversity of the Colonic Microbiota in Healthy Adults," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(2), pages 1-17, February.
    3. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & David L. Katz, 2019. "Preventive Medicine for Person, Place, and Planet: Revisiting the Concept of High-Level Wellness in the Planetary Health Paradigm," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    4. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "Healing Anthropocene Syndrome: Planetary Health Requires Remediation of the Toxic Post-Truth Environment," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, January.
    5. Nicole Redvers & Michael Yellow Bird & Diana Quinn & Tyson Yunkaporta & Kerry Arabena, 2020. "Molecular Decolonization: An Indigenous Microcosm Perspective of Planetary Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-13, June.
    6. Jake M. Robinson & Anna Jorgensen & Ross Cameron & Paul Brindley, 2020. "Let Nature Be Thy Medicine: A Socioecological Exploration of Green Prescribing in the UK," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-24, May.
    7. Wendy Ellyatt, 2022. "Education for Human Flourishing—A New Conceptual Framework for Promoting Ecosystemic Wellbeing in Schools," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-23, November.
    8. Elin Pöllänen & Walter Osika & Eva Bojner Horwitz & Christine Wamsler, 2023. "Education for Sustainability: Understanding Processes of Change across Individual, Collective, and System Levels," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-16, January.
    9. Lubhana Malik Mental, 2019. "Mental Health in Adolescents," Global Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 6(3), pages 45-46, March.
    10. Salomon Israel & Ori Weisel & Richard P. Ebstein & Gary Bornstein, 2012. "Oxytocin, but not Vasopressin, Increases both Parochial and Universal Altruism," Discussion Paper Series dp598, The Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality, the Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
    11. Jake M. Robinson & Jacob G. Mills & Martin F. Breed, 2018. "Walking Ecosystems in Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure: An Ecological Perspective on Enhancing Personal and Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-15, November.
    12. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2019. "Narrative Medicine Meets Planetary Health: Mindsets Matter in the Anthropocene," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-26, February.
    13. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Richard B. Scott & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "Wise Ancestors, Good Ancestors: Why Mindfulness Matters in the Promotion of Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-14, October.
    14. Dhandra, Tavleen Kaur, 2019. "Achieving triple dividend through mindfulness: More sustainable consumption, less unsustainable consumption and more life satisfaction," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 83-90.
    15. Susan L. Prescott & Jeffrey S. Bland, 2020. "Spaceship Earth Revisited: The Co-Benefits of Overcoming Biological Extinction of Experience at the Level of Person, Place and Planet," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-20, February.
    16. Jake M. Robinson & Paul Brindley & Ross Cameron & Danielle MacCarthy & Anna Jorgensen, 2021. "Nature’s Role in Supporting Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Geospatial and Socioecological Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-21, February.
    17. Kira J. Cooper & Robert B. Gibson, 2022. "A Novel Framework for Inner-Outer Sustainability Assessment," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-27, December.
    18. Andrew Howell & Holli-Anne Passmore & Karen Buro, 2013. "Meaning in Nature: Meaning in Life as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Nature Connectedness and Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 14(6), pages 1681-1696, December.
    19. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2018. "Larger Than Life: Injecting Hope into the Planetary Health Paradigm," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-27, March.
    20. Susan L. Prescott & Jeffrey M. Greeson & Mona S. El-Sherbini & The Planetary Health Community Convened by the Nova Institute for Health, 2022. "No Health without Mental Health: Taking Action to Heal a World in Distress—With People, Places, and Planet ‘in Mind’," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, August.
    21. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2016. "Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-44, November.
    22. Alan C. Logan & Susan L. Prescott, 2022. "Planetary Health: We Need to Talk about Narcissism," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, May.
    23. Susanne Leiberg & Olga Klimecki & Tania Singer, 2011. "Short-Term Compassion Training Increases Prosocial Behavior in a Newly Developed Prosocial Game," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(3), pages 1-10, March.
    24. Alan C. Logan & Christopher A. Lowry, 2022. "Spotlight: An Interview with Dr. Christopher A. Lowry, on the Convergence of Microbes, Nature, and Mental Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-20, October.
    25. Susan E. Erdman, 2021. "Microbial Muses: Threads of Our Inner Wisdom," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-4, March.
    26. Jones, Benjamin A., 2016. "Work more and play less? Time use impacts of changing ecosystem services: The case of the invasive emerald ash borer," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 49-58.
    27. Elizabeth Nisbet & John Zelenski & Steven Murphy, 2011. "Happiness is in our Nature: Exploring Nature Relatedness as a Contributor to Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 12(2), pages 303-322, April.
    28. Alan C. Logan & Nalini M. Nadkarni, 2022. "Tapestry Thinking: An Interview with Dr. Nalini Nadkarni on an Unexpected Life in Science," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, November.
    29. Nicole Redvers & Anne Poelina & Clinton Schultz & Daniel M. Kobei & Cicilia Githaiga & Marlikka Perdrisat & Donald Prince & Be’sha Blondin, 2020. "Indigenous Natural and First Law in Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-12, October.
    30. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2018. "From Authoritarianism to Advocacy: Lifestyle-Driven, Socially-Transmitted Conditions Require a Transformation in Medical Training and Practice," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-29, March.
    31. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2017. "Down to Earth: Planetary Health and Biophilosophy in the Symbiocene Epoch," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-22, August.
    32. Nicola S. Schutte & John M. Malouff, 2019. "The Impact of Signature Character Strengths Interventions: A Meta-analysis," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1179-1196, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Mona Said El-Sherbini & Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen & Habeebullah Jayeola Oladipo & Iyiola Olatunji Oladunjoye & Aminat Olaitan Adebayo & Jemilah Mahmood, 2023. "Planetary Health and Anthropocene Discourse: The Role of Muslim Religious Leaders," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-16, November.
    2. Sonia Vuscan & Radu Muntean, 2023. "Multifunctional Homes: A Sustainable Answer to the Challenges of the Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-28, March.
    3. Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Lost Connections: Why the Growing Crisis of Loneliness Matters for Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-7, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Planetary Health Requires Tapestry Thinking—Overcoming Silo Mentality," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-6, February.
    2. Susan L. Prescott & Jeffrey M. Greeson & Mona S. El-Sherbini & The Planetary Health Community Convened by the Nova Institute for Health, 2022. "No Health without Mental Health: Taking Action to Heal a World in Distress—With People, Places, and Planet ‘in Mind’," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2019. "Narrative Medicine Meets Planetary Health: Mindsets Matter in the Anthropocene," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-26, February.
    4. Susan L. Prescott & Jeffrey S. Bland, 2020. "Spaceship Earth Revisited: The Co-Benefits of Overcoming Biological Extinction of Experience at the Level of Person, Place and Planet," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-20, February.
    5. Jake M. Robinson & Martin F. Breed, 2019. "Green Prescriptions and Their Co-Benefits: Integrative Strategies for Public and Environmental Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, January.
    6. Andreia Teixeira & Ronaldo Gabriel & José Martinho & Graça Pinto & Luís Quaresma & Aurélio Faria & Irene Oliveira & Helena Moreira, 2021. "Connectedness to Nature Does Not Explain the Variation in Physical Activity and Body Composition in Adults and Older People," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-20, November.
    7. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & David L. Katz, 2019. "Preventive Medicine for Person, Place, and Planet: Revisiting the Concept of High-Level Wellness in the Planetary Health Paradigm," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    8. Michelle McLean & Georgia Behrens & Hannah Chase & Omnia El Omrani & Finola Hackett & Karly Hampshire & Nuzhat Islam & Sarah Hsu & Natasha Sood, 2022. "The Medical Education Planetary Health Journey: Advancing the Agenda in the Health Professions Requires Eco-Ethical Leadership and Inclusive Collaboration," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, December.
    9. Hannes Kettner & Sam Gandy & Eline C. H. M. Haijen & Robin L. Carhart-Harris, 2019. "From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-23, December.
    10. Alan C. Logan & Christopher R. D’Adamo & Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "The Founder: Dispositional Greed, Showbiz, and the Commercial Determinants of Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(9), pages 1-20, April.
    11. David H. Nelson & Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & Jeffrey S. Bland, 2019. "Clinical Ecology—Transforming 21st-Century Medicine with Planetary Health in Mind," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Lost Connections: Why the Growing Crisis of Loneliness Matters for Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-7, July.
    13. Migle Baceviciene & Rasa Jankauskiene, 2022. "The Mediating Effect of Nature Restorativeness, Stress Level, and Nature Connectedness in the Association between Nature Exposure and Quality of Life," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-15, February.
    14. Yichao He & Anna Jorgensen & Qian Sun & Amy Corcoran & Maria Jesus Alfaro-Simmonds, 2022. "Negotiating Complexity: Challenges to Implementing Community-Led Nature-Based Solutions in England Pre- and Post-COVID-19," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-19, November.
    15. Victoria Houlden & Scott Weich & João Porto de Albuquerque & Stephen Jarvis & Karen Rees, 2018. "The relationship between greenspace and the mental wellbeing of adults: A systematic review," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(9), pages 1-35, September.
    16. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & Glenn Albrecht & Dianne E. Campbell & Julian Crane & Ashlee Cunsolo & John W. Holloway & Anita L. Kozyrskyj & Christopher A. Lowry & John Penders & Nicole Redvers &, 2018. "The Canmore Declaration: Statement of Principles for Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-18, July.
    17. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2020. "Project Earthrise: Inspiring Creativity, Kindness and Imagination in Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-23, September.
    18. Susan L. Prescott & Trevor Hancock & Jeffrey Bland & Matilda van den Bosch & Janet K. Jansson & Christine C. Johnson & Michelle Kondo & David Katz & Remco Kort & Anita Kozyrskyj & Alan C. Logan & Chri, 2019. "Eighth Annual Conference of inVIVO Planetary Health: From Challenges to Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-62, November.
    19. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2016. "Transforming Life: A Broad View of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Concept from an Ecological Justice Perspective," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-44, November.
    20. Alan C. Logan & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "Earth Dreams: Reimagining ARPA for Health of People, Places and Planet," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-15, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:14:y:2023:i:1:p:16-:d:1088078. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.