Oikos Centre for the Environment

OIKOS (ee-kos) the Greek word for home, is the basis for words such as ecology and economy that we use to define a model for complete living and healthy community that involves living in a mindful harmonious relationship with our social and ecological communities. 

Are we here to simply consume as much as we can and dump it all into landfills, or is our calling to become guardians and protectors of the earth? Environmentalism should be integrated into all practices, especially human services.  In the human services sector, the practical components of environmentalism, such as recycling or and waste reduction, can be just as important as the therapeutic components.

Many clinicians are now incorporating the environment into therapy. In fact, one's connection with the environment can have a huge impact on mental and physical health. When people re-connect to the environment, they often feel less stressed and have a greater sense of belonging and purpose.  Since stress can exacerbate any illness, it is easy to see how taking some time to enjoy nature can be beneficial to our health.

There are many things that people can do to cut down on everyday waste. However,  given the severity of today's environmental issues, simply changing your personal lifestyle isn't enough.  That would have been enough if we had listened to David Suzuki talk about it in the ‘80s, but our world is too far gone now. Today, we need to focus on public engagement, education and community building.

Dr. Mishka Lysack, Assistant Professor