4 Finding the Long-Lost Path: Developing …
109
4.6 Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to various issues such as downfall of
economy, threat to human existence and survival, loss of loved once and significant
rates of unemployment further weakening the individual mentally and physically.
As most of the activities are now confined indoors, there has been a positive shift
of attention towards the world outside which showed tremendous changes in nature
as a result of the absence of human interference, highlighting how disconnected the
human race is from this important aspect of themselves and of the world. Furthermore, as nature slowly replenishes itself, people are noticing the scent of fresh air,
hearing the birds chirp and watching the lakes reflect the clear skies. As a result of
these, and many other factors, people are not only having a first-hand experience of
the advantages of lack of human influence on nature, but are also becoming more
aware of the importance of staying in harmony with it. Undoubtedly, an improvement
in quality of life of the nature will in turn improve our physical and psychological
well-being, and such has been shown in the chapter, and by the Psychosocial Model.
As we learn to adapt to the new normal, we must finally come to acknowledge
what we have largely been neglecting on social, political and humanitarian grounds,
and the chaos of the pandemic has provided a much-needed reminder for the same.
There is a vital need to focus all our energy into the prevention of future catastrophe,
a possibility that seems much more likely now than it ever did before. This could be
only chance the environment has given us to raise like phoenix from the ashes, with
only one option that is to live and let live. By focusing on “one health” and adapting
to nature’s rules, we can engage in sustainable actions that not only promote global
health, wealth and peace, but also create a safe and secure space for all living beings
existing in harmony with mother nature.
References
1. Alderfer CP (1972) Existence, relatedness and growth. Free Press, New York
2. Arnocky S, Milfont TL, Nicol JR (2013) Time perspective and sustainable behavior: evidence
for the distinction between consideration of immediate and future consequences. Environ Behav
3. Ausubel JH (1996) Can technology spare the earth? Am Sci 84:166–178
4. Bamberg S, Möser G (2007) Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: a new
meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behavior. J Environ Psychol
27:14–25
5. Bandura A (2000) Exercise of human agency through collective efficacy. West Psychol
14(1):17–20
6. Bechtel RB, Corral-Verdugo V (2010) Happiness and sustainable behavior. In: Corral-Verdugo
V, García C, Frías M (eds) Psychological approaches to sustainability. Nova Science Publishers,
New York
7. Buchanan M (2007) What made you read this? New Sci 195(2611):36–39
8. Bolderdijk JW, Steg L, Geller ES, Lehman PK, Postmes T (2013) Comparing the effectiveness
of monetary versus moral motives in environmental campaigning. Nat Clim Chang 3:413–416
9. Bouman T, Steg L (2019) Motivating society-wide pro-environmental change. One Earth
1(1):27–30
109
4.6 Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to various issues such as downfall of
economy, threat to human existence and survival, loss of loved once and significant
rates of unemployment further weakening the individual mentally and physically.
As most of the activities are now confined indoors, there has been a positive shift
of attention towards the world outside which showed tremendous changes in nature
as a result of the absence of human interference, highlighting how disconnected the
human race is from this important aspect of themselves and of the world. Furthermore, as nature slowly replenishes itself, people are noticing the scent of fresh air,
hearing the birds chirp and watching the lakes reflect the clear skies. As a result of
these, and many other factors, people are not only having a first-hand experience of
the advantages of lack of human influence on nature, but are also becoming more
aware of the importance of staying in harmony with it. Undoubtedly, an improvement
in quality of life of the nature will in turn improve our physical and psychological
well-being, and such has been shown in the chapter, and by the Psychosocial Model.
As we learn to adapt to the new normal, we must finally come to acknowledge
what we have largely been neglecting on social, political and humanitarian grounds,
and the chaos of the pandemic has provided a much-needed reminder for the same.
There is a vital need to focus all our energy into the prevention of future catastrophe,
a possibility that seems much more likely now than it ever did before. This could be
only chance the environment has given us to raise like phoenix from the ashes, with
only one option that is to live and let live. By focusing on “one health” and adapting
to nature’s rules, we can engage in sustainable actions that not only promote global
health, wealth and peace, but also create a safe and secure space for all living beings
existing in harmony with mother nature.
References
1. Alderfer CP (1972) Existence, relatedness and growth. Free Press, New York
2. Arnocky S, Milfont TL, Nicol JR (2013) Time perspective and sustainable behavior: evidence
for the distinction between consideration of immediate and future consequences. Environ Behav
3. Ausubel JH (1996) Can technology spare the earth? Am Sci 84:166–178
4. Bamberg S, Möser G (2007) Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: a new
meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behavior. J Environ Psychol
27:14–25
5. Bandura A (2000) Exercise of human agency through collective efficacy. West Psychol
14(1):17–20
6. Bechtel RB, Corral-Verdugo V (2010) Happiness and sustainable behavior. In: Corral-Verdugo
V, García C, Frías M (eds) Psychological approaches to sustainability. Nova Science Publishers,
New York
7. Buchanan M (2007) What made you read this? New Sci 195(2611):36–39
8. Bolderdijk JW, Steg L, Geller ES, Lehman PK, Postmes T (2013) Comparing the effectiveness
of monetary versus moral motives in environmental campaigning. Nat Clim Chang 3:413–416
9. Bouman T, Steg L (2019) Motivating society-wide pro-environmental change. One Earth
1(1):27–30