UNTOLD STORY 3

The mother nature is being terrible loss as we have taken all the place the nature had and replacing it by our needs. Within the past four decades, research has been increasingly drawn toward understanding whether there is a link between the changing human–nature relationship and its impact on people’s health. It should be no surprise that harm to nature often results in harm to humans. Pollutants cause health problems, ocean acidification affects the food supply, and climate change may cause unnecessary deaths and widespread social disruptions. Environmental impacts that range from the small-scale (such as patient-friendly design of hospitals or removal of toxic chemicals in our homes) to the large-scale (such as food production and water supply) may benefit or harm our health, sometimes in surprisingly dramatic ways. Paying attention to human health and well-being is crucial as we contemplate how to help our environment. An environmental ethic that does not take human health seriously will itself not be taken seriously. There are tradeoffs between protecting the environment and advancing human well-being. Social injustices may arise when certain populations are affected more acutely by harm to the environment. Where do we draw the line between concepts of individual liberty and the common good? How much do we owe to future generations who will inherit the planet we leave them?