At NEEF, we care about the well-being of the environment. But did you know that we also focus on personal health and wellness?
From the water we drink, to the air we breathe, and the spaces and climates in which we live, work, and play, the environment impacts our daily well-being and long term physical, mental, and emotional health.
Through our programs and initiatives, NEEF aims to increase your understanding of how the environment affects your daily life. We want to reduce the physical and cultural barriers to spending time outdoors and make green spaces accessible to everyone. We also want to contribute to better health outcomes for children with asthma.
That’s a tall order, but we don’t go it alone. Beyond working with federal partners, NEEF joins with accredited and trusted educators, health professionals, and public health organizations, among others. Through this collaborative approach, we implement our programs, convey our information, and expand our reach.
Finally, we provide access to practical tools, information, and experiences that help connect you to the environment in ways that are relevant. Here’s just a sampling of some of NEEF’s resources that can help you improve both your own and others’ health and wellness.
Asthma Training
If you’re a healthcare professional, NEEF’s Pediatric Asthma Initiative provides free pediatric asthma training to help you identify environmental influences on patient health outcomes, as well as training and support to mitigate exposure. Through a partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), our free asthma training (available in both English and Spanish) is customized for healthcare providers—including school nurses, the front-line health care professionals for many children in lower-income communities.
Sun Safety Education
We want you to enjoy the outdoors safely. NEEF’s SunWise initiative can help you reduce your risk of developing skin cancer. Because the sun’s UV-related health effects are largely preventable, NEEF provides practical resources to help you adopt safe sun-protection practices proactively and consistently.
Greening STEM
We also take this “get outside” attitude directly to schools with our Greening STEM Learning Hub. Since the natural environment is a ready-made classroom for teaching STEM, our program hopes to engage kids in place-based learning outdoors.
National Public Lands Day
NEEF adopts a similar philosophy with National Public Lands Day (NPLD). As the largest single-day volunteer effort for America’s public lands, NPLD provides more than simply a way to give back to the environment. It provides an opportunity to spend time in nature—a well-researched strategy for reducing the effects of stress and anxiety.
Health & Wellness in Nature Guide
Studies have shown that spending time in the outdoors improves short-term memory, concentration, and creativity while reducing the effects of stress and anxiety. Developed in partnership with the National Park Service and US Forest Service, this free guide will help you integrate health activities and education into your next community engagement event. Download your free copy of “Public Lands Engagement: Health & Wellness in Nature” today!
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