By: NWI Staff

Whole-person wellness means paying special attention to each of the 6 Dimensions of Wellness, in order to ensure the healthy choices we make create a holistic sense of fulfillment. Social Wellness, in particular, deals with our impact on our environment, promoting the idea that it’s better to live in harmony with the environment, than to harm it.

Today marks Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary, and the National Wellness Institute has developed a list of 10 tips that will help readers live in harmony with our planet, during COVID-19 and beyond.

Here’s 10 tips on how to keep your social well-being in check during COVID-19, while helping our planet also stay well:

  1. Help others, and the earth, by only visiting the stores when you need to, promoting less waste.
  2. While outside for physical activity during social distancing, consider cleaning up the area around your route.
  3. Stay safe through careful cleaning measures and use non-toxic cleaning products when possible.
  4. Working from home? Create a workspace that is “wellness friendly” with incandescent light bulbs that have efficient CFLs or LEDs, which reduces your carbon footprint and reduce strain on your eyes.
  5. Once you are driving more frequently again, keep your tires properly inflated, which increases gas mileage. Remember to also change your car’s air filter, regularly.
  6. With more takeout and delivery options being used at restaurants, it’s a good time to think about how best to recycle paper, plastic, and glass. Follow this guide to recycling and you could greatly reduce your carbon footprint.
  7. Change your paper bills to online billing – it will reduce paper usage and amount of vehicle usage needed to ship the bill.
  8. Small businesses and farms need our patronage, now more than ever. Support local businesses by purchasing local food, promoting a shorter distance from farm to fork. Some farms and co-ops are also offering online ordering, with pick-up and delivery options.
  9. Looking for things to do in your extra free time? Consider growing your own garden to help with air quality.
  10. It’s easy to become attached to electronics during this time, when we particularly need them for day-to-day activities. Remember to unplug often; not only for well-being, but to save energy. Follow proper procedures to dispose of your electronic devices, too.

Join Earth Day’s 50th celebration at EarthDay.org, where they promote 24 Hours of Action to help our communities, invite you to join the Global Digital Surge, and even host Live Earth Day events!

Explore all of the ways to put the 6 Dimensions of Wellness into practice by visiting our education page, featuring live and on-demand webinars.