People view healthcare professionals as leaders, and this affords us the opportunity to have a profound influence on our communities. As “Green” healthcare givers, we can serve as an essential resource for people looking to understand how their environment influences their health. There’s no better way for us to cultivate that connection than to develop a regular habit of spending time outdoors.

It is easy to talk in generalizations about what’s “good for the planet.” While there are many recommendations that apply broadly, it is important to recognize that “the planet” is made up of diverse communities, each of which has its own specific climate, geography, and environmental challenges.

My patients often come in with limited knowledge of environmental hazards, but many have questions about the role the environment plays in their health. It’s a subject of fast-growing public interest, and certainly a big news topic. Many of us are shocked and horrified to discover hazards in our own communities.

As integrative practitioners, I believe we are obliged to understand environmental issues as they specifically affect our communities. We have a vital role to play in promoting the benefits of a healthy environment—both personally and globally.

It is really important to continually inform yourself about common environmental issues in your area. This is easily done through websites such as Environmental Scorecard (www.scorecard.org) that allow you to enter your zip code and pull up a detailed report of local environmental hazards. One physician I know does this for every patient, placing the scorecard in the chart and giving a copy to the patient! Other useful websites include the EPA (www.EPA.gov), Environmental Working Group (www.ewg.org), AIRNow (www.airnow.gov), and the Pesticide Action Network (www.pesticideinfo.org).

Keeping track of local environmental risks allows you to better recognize environmental illnesses among your patients.

To promote environmental wellness and provide leadership you must take the time to regularly connect with the outdoors. There’s no substitute for personally experiencing your local environment. If there are noticeable pollutants in the air, you will understand more directly the ill effects on your health, and through that, you’ll be better able to relate to patients facing environmental health challenges.

Sadly, most Americans spend 80% of their time indoors, so if you want to get your patients outside, you will have to get outside yourself and serve as a role model. Besides, outdoor recreation can be great fun.

People often ask me if they have to go to a park or some other specially designated place. I say that any outdoor space is good for your health. For Vitamin D production we need at least 30 minutes a day of sunlight, best caught in the middle of the day. The time you spend outdoors allows you to better appreciate where you live, and to connect with other outdoor enthusiasts, which makes the whole thing more enjoyable.

I’m always pleasantly amazed at how many people meet during outdoor activities and then naturally build partnerships in support of their shared world. This can be done in a more formal way, say by building a house with other folks through Habitats for Humanity (www.habitat.org), purchasing food at local farmers markets, or even gardening at a local community garden. But it’s always nice when these things come about serendipitously.

Some might consider these suggestions as mere “chores,” another thing to try and fit into an already overextended schedule. If it is difficult to find the time to participate in scheduled outdoor activities, consider how you can incorporate more outdoor time into your current schedule, like walking or riding a bike to work. The single largest contributor to air pollution in the US is automobiles, and a commitment to get out of your car can have a big impact on your personal wellbeing and your community’s health.

If you yourself are taking time outdoors, then it is much easier to educate patients about the various options and benefits of connecting with nature. It helps to have a list of local organizations that can help your patients engage in outdoor recreation. You might also do a bit of public advocacy work by keeping up with local or regional ordinances, writing letters and articles for local papers, websites or blogs, or speaking at public hearings about the benefits of outdoor activity and the need for a clean environment.

The three foundations of Green Health Care are: 1) working in a green clinic, 2) advocating for a healthy environment, and 3) practicing medicine sustainably. Of these three, advocating environmental health is the simplest to implement. It might begin at the local playground or at a town council meeting.

Find out what is happening—environment-wise—in your area and get involved. By doing this regularly you will increase your own personal health, create a healthier world around you and make lasting friendships. You’ll also be role-modeling healthy living and community engagement, and that can go a long way in empowering your patients to do likewise.

Resource List

• Scorecard: The pollution information site, www.scorecard.org
• Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov
• Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org
• Collaboration for Health and the Environment, www.healthandenvironment.org
• Teleosis Institute, www.teleosis.org
• Practice Greenhealth, www.practicegreenhealth.org
• Habitats for Humanity, www.habitat.org

Joel Kreisberg, DC, MA, a chiropractor and clinical homeopath, is the founder and senior director of the Teleosis Institute, Berkeley, California, a program of Practice Green Health. Teleosis is dedicated to reducing healthcare’s footprint while broadening its ecological vision.