Thought Is a Powerful Force

My daughter, a mother of three young boys, recently asked herself what she could do to help protect the environment and decided that her family would do what they could. They were chosen as one of the three families in the nation to be spotlighted for their efforts. This past weekend as the film crews were working, I had the opportunity to listen to what they had accomplished. I was impressed with the fact that they didn’t have to dramatically change their lifestyle.

They walked to their local Farmer’s Market for their fresh foods – not to save money but because these foods were fresher and supported local farmers. They headed up a fundraiser that saved a marine teaching station on the local pier used by schoolchildren and the public. They decided not to use chemicals to clean the house; sparkling water bottles were replaced with a sparkling water maker, and regular water bottles were replaced with filtered tap water, saving space at landfills.

This family was living in a manner that they felt was not only good for them, but also good for their community and the environment in general. They were developing habits and attitudes about their environment and educating themselves in the process.

As I listened to them being interviewed, I noticed that the reporters were not only interested in the discussion of the family’s physical environment, but also their mental rationale. The questions, “Why are you doing this? What did you hope to accomplish? What do your friends think about your lifestyle?” were answered with sincerity and consistency. Clearly the family had decided to protect their environment and in so doing let the environment work for them.

Having the environment work for a person is important when it comes to health, too, because health and a person’s environment are intricately linked. In “Better Neighborhoods Linked to Better Health,” Jens Ludwig of the University of Chicago feels that environment could be about as important as health care in fostering families’ well-being. "Investments outside the health care system can be really important complements to spending within the health care system," he said, later adding, "there’s an effect on these really important health outcomes that’s in the ballpark of lifestyle and medical interventions." In other words: Environment matters.

Article Author: Don Ingwerson

Previously in the education sector as Superintendent of Schools, Don Ingwerson now serves as the Christian Science Committee on Publication for Southern California correcting misconceptions about Christian Science.

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