Positive Surroundings
Environmental wellness is being healthy about what surrounds you at school, home, work, and your neighborhood. It’s:
- taking care of the earth through sustainable living and positive influences on home and community environments
- enjoying and respecting nature alone or with friends
- having supportive and nurturing home and work environments
- creating safe, fair, and inclusive spaces for all
Protect the Earth
The University of Iowa (UI) rated “silver” in Sustainability Tracking (STARS) by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. It's also been designated a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for 10 years and running!
Recycling, shopping wisely, and driving less are just a few of the many simple things you can do to help protect the earth. From powering our campus bus fleet with clean fuel to composting millions of pounds in waste, the UI is leader in sustainability and the environment.
Experience Nature
Stroll through the College of Pharmacy's Medicinal Gardens, where plants with medicinal properties are highlighted. Enjoy fresh air and sunshine at the picnic tables outside the College's building or in "our backyard" green space.
The university and Iowa City area also offers many opportunities to get outside.
Make a Positive Environment
What's around you each day at home, school, and work impacts your health, whether it's air quality, safety, or how included others make you feel.
Check out the National Institutes of Health's Seven Strategies for Improving Your Environmental Health for resources about keeping your home safe, monitoring air quality, and more.
The UI and College of Pharmacy also have robust Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies and resources to uphold the value of recognizing and affirming an inclusive, diverse, accessible, and equitable environment.